CASPER — The Wyoming Department of Health is planning to study the oral health of Wyoming residents for the first time in 20 years.
A bill passed by the Legislature allocates $50,000 for the department to complete the survey with the help of Wyoming’s dentists and hygienists. The survey will involve screening the oral health of third-graders as well as senior citizens in nursing homes.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, said Wyoming invests a lot of money in dentists by repaying the school-loan debt of those who practice in the state. Landen said it would be helpful to know where in Wyoming to encourage new dentists to open an office.
Casper dentist Rodney Hill said he’d like to find out whether cavities are more prevalent in areas where fluoride isn’t added to water supply.
“The study is to find out what the real need is and the geographic layout of the disease,” Hill said. “If you know where it’s at, . . . it can really help us focus those efforts so statewide we can make a difference to get access to care where it needs to be.”
An early version of the bill would have appropriated about $300,000 over two years for educating and marketing efforts about oral health. Landen said the Senate had to make compromises and dropped that piece of the legislation.
“It’s OK. It’s important to take this first step,” Landen said. “It will be a very valuable tool, and then I think we can come back at a later date to ask for more.”
Grant Christensen, staff dentist at the Wyoming Department of Health, said dental care often is neglected in health care studies.
“I think there are a lot of people in nursing homes who haven’t seen a dentist in a few years, and we would like to know why,” Christensen said.
