After watching the documentary and viewing all the materials in the module titled “Dollars and Dentists”, you’ll be writing a two-page essay. Please follow the following formatting:
- Double spaced
- One-inch margins
- Calibri font, size 11
- Submit the essay as a Word document (NOT a Google doc, PDF or whatever else)
You MUST include in your essay:
- Who created the documentary?
- When was it created/released?
- Who was profiled/interviewed?
What I’m interested in hearing is your reaction regarding the state of oral health care in the United States. How did you feel while watching the documentary? Do you think it’s fair that some people get dental insurance and others don’t? Do you think we, as dental hygienists, have a responsibility to improve the oral health care system? If so, what can we do to improve it? How did it get so bad that a young woman loses all her teeth due to lack of dental insurance?
You may choose to discuss:
Prevention- What can be done to prevent dental caries? Are we doing enough? Is the government doing enough? Are people doing enough to maintain good oral health?
Alternative practice models- the documentary discusses dental therapists. What do you think of this model? Which states allow dental therapist models? You’ll need to do a little research to answer these questions but there’s plenty of information available and you know how to access reputable sources at this point.
Corporate dentistry- Aspen Dental was discussed in the documentary. We used to call these businesses “corporate dentistry” but now they’re referred to as “dental support organizations”. There’s plenty of information available on these businesses and you may want to do a little research on them. Here’s a link to an interesting story about Aspen Dental in New York. If you want to write about this in your essay, talk to me first. I can steer you in the right direction.
You will submit your essay via email before the due date, which is posted on Blackboard. I will read it, grade it, and return it to you in hard copy.
