Dr. Cranford went to the Capitol Building in Washington April 7-9, 2024 with a delegation of dentists and dental students from South Carolina. While there, this dentist from Rock Hill, South Carolina joined dentists from all over the country for Lobby Day 2024.
This group’s goal was to update our national leaders on ways to improve dental care for patients and to support dentists.
Many thanks to the American Dental Association for organizing and sponsoring this event. Also, thanks to the James B. Edwards School of Dental Medicine at MUSC for encouraging students to attend.
Here Dr. Cranford explains what he and others accomplished this year.
Why ADA Brings Dentists to Washington
This year over 1,000 dentists and future dentists went to Washington for this annual event.
ADA leadership wants to encourage dentists to determine the needs for their profession in order to provide quality care to patients throughout America. Member dentists want to be involved in decisions that affect their patients.
Therefore, the member dentists of the ADA come together to ask the Congressmen to hear them as a group.
In the picture, I am on the far right. On the other end of my row in the blue sports coat stands Dr. John Comisi. Immediate past president of the SC Dental Association and professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, he encourages dental students to be active in our profession.
I admire Dr. Comisi’s energy and ability to relate to young future dentists. Watching them interact, I could tell how much they enjoy him. Thanks for all you do, Dr. Comisi!
Since dentists understand the needs of their patients, they advocate for what is good and fair for them. They also know what is needed to continue to have quality dental care in America.
Manning Kimmel interviewed Dr. Cranford about his Washington trip:
2024 Dental Care Issues
The ADA identifies the issues in dental care that are most pressing each year. Accordingly, this year their concerns centered on keeping a healthy work force of dental professionals.
Like other professions, dental leaders are concerned with the shrinking work force following COVID and rising education costs.
Here are the Concerns we addressed with Congressmen in 2024:
Student Loan Debt (Redi Act)
Because young people graduate from dental school with a tremendous amount of debt, they struggle to begin practicing dentistry, which requires a large investment in equipment and office upfit.
Furthermore, we are concerned that overwhelming debt may discourage students from entering the dental profession.
Our group asked Congress to consider deferring interest on student loan debt until the student is out of dental school. We do not agree with forgiving this debt.
Dictation of Fees by Non-Covered Services by Dental Plans (DOC Access)
Another concern is addressed in the DOC Act, which seeks to prevent dental insurance companies from standing between patients and their dentists in dental health care decisions.
Currently, insurance plans dictate treatment and fees on services not covered by the plan. This is not fair to the patient, who would prefer her insurance plan to cover the needed service.
DOC Access protects patients against insurance plan overreach.
Workforce (Action for Dental Health Act)
Senate Bill S2891 addresses dental workforce shortages and enhances access to dental care in under served areas of the country. This bill actually renews existing programs for oral healthcare in America.
The Workforce Bill will strengthen educational opportunities for dental hygienists, assistants, and oral health educators, addressing the growing shortage in dental care workers.
Encouraging Dental Students
The dental students pictured above are from Fort Mill, Boiling Springs, and Sumter South Carolina. Of course, we hope they will stay in this state to practice dentistry.
The American Dental Association encourages dental students to come to Washington for this weekend event. In fact, we took 18 students from the Medical University of South Carolina.
The students learn to work as a group towards the common cause of improving dentistry. More importantly, they observe experienced dentists advocating for their profession.
Of course, we hope that in the future these young people will join the ADA and work to improve dental care for all patients.
What a great experience for the MUSC students who joined dentists from around South Carolina in Washington. Hopefully, they saw the importance of joining together for a common cause.
Dr. Bill Cranford
Bill Cranford’s Update on Washington Trip
I was honored to go to Washington with friends across South Carolina. Moreover, I loved meeting and hanging out with outstanding students from MUSC.
These young people were excited about the future of dental care. Obviously, they cared about being able to offer the best care possible in the near future.
Most important to me, they engaged with us “older” dentists and, they were interested in what we had to say.
Who doesn’t love a selfie? And even better when you connect with another South Carolinian!
Dr. Cranford was excited that his daughter in Florence (Laura Anne Hofler) taught the first two students above in their freshman English class. The third student’s mom roomed with his friend Terri Barnes in college.
I trust that the students went back to South Carolina with a positive feeling about their future. And of course, this will include being active in state and national dental organizations that work to improve dentistry.
In summary, this “older” dentist had a great time and left encouraged about the sharp young students and the future of dentistry.
Share Your Concerns
Please share concerns that you have about dental care in Rock Hill and South Carolina.
In the future, your concern could be on our list of important items to present to our national leaders.
Or better yet, I can respond to your concerns and direct you towards a solution for the near future. Absolutely, I would like to help talk them into joining my profession.
In addition, let me know if you have friends or family members who may be considering the dental field as an occupation. I will show them around our modern office and, of course, tell them that dentistry may be the perfect job for them.
Come by Cranford Dental at 1721 Ebenezer Road in Rock Hill, SC or contact our office to set a time to visit. I would love to visit with you.
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