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Lee Thompson works full time in Nebraska's food industry, but his employer offers no health benefits, making Medicaid essential to his care. When dental pain became unbearable, he had to fight to get an appointment, and a roughly $700 annual dental cap on his coverage left him paying the difference out of pocket for a root canal that, to this day, remains unfinished with no crown.
In 2022, Ron Dinsdale went to his dentist for teeth implants when the dentist dropped a small wrench and screw down his throat. Ron began choking and while he was able to retrieve the small screw, he unfortunately swallowed the wrench. The dentist, in response, was seemingly more irritated at Ron for swallowing his tool rather than concerned about his health.
When teacher Donna Calhoun bit into an apple and lost a tooth, she did not expect the dental emergency and bureaucratic nightmare that followed. With a Cigna dental PPO plan from her former employer, which she had been paying into for a decade, she expected coverage, but finding an available appointment in-network proved difficult as her condition worsened, leading to a fever and infection.
The last time Martha upgraded her dentures was nearly two decades ago. Her insurance through Medicare does not cover oral health, and other bills take precedence. Martha's son has a developmental disability and requires a higher level of care than she can afford. Martha is one of many individuals pushing for better oral health coverage.
Cheryl lost her health insurance after her employer outsourced, leading to a decline in her oral health due to the high out-of-pocket costs for care. While she is covered by Medicare, she struggles to afford necessary dental procedures. Cheryl's dietary choices are heavily influenced by her oral hygiene needs, as she finds some foods difficult to consume.