Letters: Medicare

This letter to the editor is in response to the Oct. 11 ADA News article “Expanding Medicare: What Every Dentist Needs to Know.” One thing you can say about our ADA is we are consistent. Fifty-six years later and we are still fighting the “good fight” against Medicare. We say dentistry is essential when it came to the pandemic but not when it comes to Medicare. So, which is it? Essential, but just sometimes? I think we pushed the can down road again. It was close this time. Seems more and more elderly want help with their teeth. So we had robust “just say no” campaign for membership while at the same time giving the appearance of accepting a few crumbs that I assume we really, really, didn’t want to do. But let’s keep telling ourselves that we still look good as a profession since we seem to be still getting away talking from both sides of our mouth. Don’t get me wrong: dentistry will be part of Medicare. We will keep fighting, but it will happen. And when it does happen, we will say something that makes us appear on the right side of history, but don’t kid yourself we are not. It is just a shame so many elderly people will continue to suffer because we are so stubborn and yes, selfish.

Paul Benjamin, D.M.D.
Miami Shores, Florida