According to the Michigan Dental Association's website located at: http://public.smilemichigan.com/ it states, and I quote:

"Want a Healthy Body? Start with a Healthy Mouth. Did you realize that regular dental checkups can help to identify symptoms associated with diseases such as oral cancer, diabetes, heart disease and pregnancy complications? Your dentist doesn’t diagnose these illnesses, but may find oral symptoms that might affect the rest of the body.

Since the condition of the mouth mirrors the condition of the body as a whole your dentist may be the first health care provider to see signs of a health problem. A regular oral exam allows your dentist to keep your mouth in first-class shape and watch for any changes in your oral health or signs that may indicate problems elsewhere in the body. Click the link below to learn more about some common medical conditions and their oral symptoms."

Please bear with me and read the entire research I am doing while still looking for answers on my own dental issues.

Since I was recently diagnosed with 3 impacted wisdom teeth and have tried unsuccessfully to find a participating dentist I have been quite frustrated. After weeks of searching for a dentist, I saw TV advertising (April 17, 2007) on Wood TV8 which was interesting. The ad intrigued me to learning what their advertising really meant while continuing my search. The TV ad also left many, many questions in my mind about how teeth could be related to other illnesses "such as oral cancer, diabetes, heart disease and pregnancy complications." Having absolutely no idea that teeth could be related to or perhaps cause so many medical problems, I wondered if my teeth might be reflective of part of the causes of some of my military, service connected, medical issues.

To be honest, the more I investigated, the more confused I became as to why people, like myself, that need dental care the most, just can't obtain it. Dental care is out of their/my/our affordable reach. However, I was able to draw one serious conclusion. There is something majorly wrong with the dental profession in the State of Michigan.

In conclusion, if the lack of available/affordable dental care, according to the dental association, can cause "oral cancer, diabetes, heart disease and pregnancy complications." Then, I must ask, why isn't dental care readily available to everyone? Why don't the majority of dentist (in the Kent County area anyway) refuse to accept most insurance programs, refuse to participate with dental plans, refuse to accept medicare and Medicade and refuse to honor our Michigan military veterans by refusing to accept any governmental insurance programs? Please read on! Check out the findings, to date.

The listing includes all dentist in Kent County, Grand Rapids, Michigan and surrounding communities. The
information was asked of all dental practices beginning in March 2007 through the end of April 2007. Initially, this survey was done to find answers and find out what, and if, dentist in Kent County would accept my military insurance program. As the calls continued, the calls quickly became a compilation of answers showing just how bad the dental industry in Michigan is. If it is true, it also indirectly points out why so many people, unable to afford to see a dentist, may be sick and ultimately become part of the dental associations statistical advertising, victims of "oral cancer, diabetes, heart disease and pregnancy complications." It also supports my long held theory that the medical and dental practices in Michigan DO NOT SUPPORT our military veterans and families, by their refusal to accepting governmental sponsored insurance programs such as:

• ChampVA; Champus; VA Fee Basis cards; Medicare or Medicade

Here is what was asked: When the dentist office staff were called and asked do they accepted the Veterans Administrations insurance programs, there were many sad, sad discoveries made. All the staff were very nice, friendly and seemed to want to help. Yet, I was very alarmed how "unfriendly" the majority of dental offices were towards current and past military veterans, non-veterans, insured and the uninsured.

As the questions were asked, it quickly turned out that this information also affects non-veterans. In other words, most people are not covered by the majority of dental offices. It appears no matter if you have insurance or not, most of the dental offices refuse to accept insurance, period. They seem to be unwilling to accept the standard, going rate, paid by insurance companies. I am not judging who is right or wrong, the dentist or the insurance companies. However, it is a sad state when people in need can't get or afford dental care perhaps due to the medical and dental industries greed.

The information also seems to reflect (whether you are a veteran or not), if you are a less fortunate person, uninsured, out of work, working but don't have benefits, forced to choose to put food on the table or go to a dentist, keep your family in a house or go to a dentist.... the decision has already been made for the person needing help to fix their teeth or even go to a doctor or specialist!

WHAT ARE YOUR CHOICES: Do without medical and dental care Vs survival

REASONS TO NOT ASSIST YOU: Perhaps the greed of the dental and health industry or State and Federal politicians "never following through", to pass legislation so "everyone in the USA" can receive the same care as our highly paid politicians, who receive the best health and dental care! Someone should be ashamed since they are responsible for millions of people that are unable to obtain good medical and dental care!!! Will we become a statistic of, "diseases such as oral cancer, diabetes, heart disease and pregnancy complications?" Will we become another bureacratic statistic that fell through the cracks?

Maybe you might want to become the judge and jury! Tell your dentist, local and federal politicains what you think of this lack of caring has done to you and your family.