Something to think about ...

It has been an interesting journey as a dental professional to analyze the different factors and eminent disparities in our health care system. It’s evident that an enormous amount of effort has to be implemented in order to successfully achieve all of these titanic changes in programs, laws and regulations that the health industry in general has ahead.

The American Dental Association has always been an important and key player in all the decisions that can affect the industry and the community. Our legislators have to work in conjunction with these groups of experience professionals that can help implement laws that will benefit the majority and less protected individuals in our community. All these efforts are very important to promote a healthy society and in some cases like in the example of boy of Maryland, his own live, due to the fact that his mother couldn’t find any Medicaid provider to assist her child and as a result he develop a fatal complication.

The community itself has an important responsibility, prevention programs should be implemented in schools, were the media could have also a very important impact. It is not an impossible project to be able to control dental diseases, but we have been unable to work together to abolish those mayor issues. Over 19% of children ages 2-19 have untreated cavities in the United States. A child's complete preventive dental program should include fluoride, twice-daily brushing, dental flossing, wise food choices, and regular dental care. However most of our financial resources are going some where else. Race and levels of economic disparity are another important factor and this under privilege segment of the population is where the government has to work more efficiently. It cost less than 7 dollars to provide a child with, a tooth brush, tooth paste and dental floss that can easily last him a month, the price of a pack of cigarettes.

Our legislators have to put apart their political interests and unify for the benefit of society and not for the color of their party. Both providers and insurance companies have to work together to make dental services more affordable. Is not an easy task but if we all work together more things can get accomplish and we can live in a better society, were everyone has the right to get proper care at a reasonable cost and with adequate access.

It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.
Sir Winston Churchill.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of my Dental School (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana). Besides the fact that it was amazing and exciting to see my fellow colleagues a feel of anxiety and intrigue accompany me through my three a hours and a half ride from Orlando to Miami. Questions like How are they? What are they doing? How old do they look? Are they Married/Divorce? and then I ask myself more philosophical question. Have they accomplished there main goals? Are they happy with what they are doing? What are there future dreams?

Then I thought, the heck with that, this is a celebration !!!!!!!!!

The Meeting was at the wonderful Biltmore Hotel and I would say that approximately one hundred people attended. We had the people from REGRESA (A Nonprofit Organization), whose main goal is to collect funds to help students with financial needs. Pretty amazing I would say; then that will to do something click in my mind once more (what can we really do to help or better what can I do to help).

So as simple as it may sound, I had the opportunity to go through dental school (which by the way, was a Blast !!!!!!), I achieved my American Dream, then, isn't time to help that future student, the new generation of dentist, the one that hopefully in the near future will do the same for a fellow colleague, for our beautiful profession?
The answer was easy........

The point of this Post is not to encourage anyone to give money, is to be grateful to many people that have given us, time of their time to fulfill our goals. Those that encourage us, were dedicated, were patient, and why not, even our Dental Patients.

This post is dedicated to all those wonderful professors that I had, to the staff and to my fellow classmates which I always carry in my heart.

Hope to see everyone in the 100th Anniversary of our School !!!!!!!!