Denturists and American People in Need vs. American Dental Association Policies

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Denturists and American People in Need vs. American Dental Association Policies

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"Regulating the denturist profession across the Nation in providing affordable denture care for the economically disadvantaged is the little thing we can do to make a big difference in the wellness of people. People are healthier and more productive when they have a denture that functions properly."  Gary W. Vollan L.D.

The balance of the working relationship between the dentist and denture technician has always tipped more favorably on the side of the dentist than the denture technician.

A number of denture technicians moved forward in the profession by becoming denturist because of the expectations of being the dentist's counter-part but rarely with the denture technician receiving the deserved gratitude of those expectations.

Instead we worked long hours (not by choice), didn't get paid for those long hours which usually involved remakes due to error of the dentist or assistant doing procedures.

Our jobs as denture technicians were usually held over our heads for us to jump, reach, and grab at, while the dentist decided which dental lab they would use if and when we complained or insisted that things be done differently and maybe even getting paid for the 60 or 90 day past due lab invoice.

As a denturist I enjoy my work. I enjoy the working relationship of a chosen dentist or oral surgeon for referral services for my patients.

The good fight is not with any current or past dentist. I’ve worked with some good dentist as a denture lab technician and as a denturist. A good majority of the dentist would rather spend their chairtime in restorative and cosmetic dentistry not dentures.

So what's the problem? Corporate <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />ADA. The American Dental Association’s big money politics, waste and not being able to relate to the dental needs of the people. It’s nothing different than what denture technicians and denturist have always dealt with as the counter-part of the dental profession.

Corporate ADA has no faith in its ability to provide for the dental needs of the American public. Even as denture technicians, we have always known we we're better at being able to meet the denture needs of the American public and the American Dental Association knows it. We are a thorn in ADA’s side and they want us gone.

The American Dental Association has in place, a number of build up and award programs for dental lab technicians for good reason and then it supports outsourcing of dental prostheses. Something’s not right with this picture.

It’s one thing to pay pennies to the dental lab technician for dental prostheses but yet another thing to outsource the work away from the mom and pop dental labs across  America.

More and more people are doing without dental care because of ADA's policy making. They spend 10's of thousands of dollars for meetings to establish these policies that are leaving more and more people without dental care.

The policies discriminating against the economically disadvantaged Americans are those that are directed at stopping denturist, dental health aides and independent practices for dental hygienist.  The American Dental Association sends money to state dental associations with expectation that the state associations will uphold ADA's policies but in turn it's a negative reflection on the state associations because their using the money for reasons other than meeting the dental needs of the people of the state.

The American Dental Association could better serve the dental needs of the American people by giving the dental hygienists the freedom of their own boards and independent practices so they can better serve the preventive needs of the American people by serving in the area of public health.

Corporate ADA can take the necessary steps to establish boards for independent practice of the denturist profession and the dental health aides across the Nation. This would free up dentist to use their eight or more years of schooling and experience in extensive restorative dentistry and specialty areas of dentistry.

It would direct the need for more money for education for all areas of the dental profession. This would create more qualified doctors and less of the unethically inclined dentists that are in practice today due to dental school programs one size fit all level of the DDS degree.

Dental health aides or therapist would serve the same level that a physician’s assistant serves today. The American Dental Association would organize and regulate dentistry and associated professions across America to better meet the dental care needs of all people.

People need to get on the American Dental Association internet site and do a watch dog of the programs in place and see the money that’s wasted. It’s disgraceful, with the number of Americans doing without dental care. You’d think with all the money, power, and intellect the American Dental Association has it would do things differently.

Please consider this critique of corporate ADA.

Thank you---Gary W. Vollan L.D.

www.wysda.org      307-568-2047