Mandatory Free Tooth Extraction

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Author: Brandon M. Sergent

Started: June 26, 2009, 1:49:53 pm

Target: U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, (etc)

Category: Civil & Human Rights

Supporters:

Goal:

50,000

Goal Progress:

Status

Active

We the signers of this petition believe that given the unique economic and medical situation of dental practice in America, and the excruciating level of pain possible with even minor tooth malfunction, that to charge for the occasional removal of teeth under general or local anesthetic, constitutes a violation of basic human rights.

Therefor we demand that a law be drafted which makes it mandatory for one Pro Bono tooth removal visit per person per provider be offered by every practicing dentist's office or oral surgeon's office in the United States.

We feel the actual cost of these procedures is more than offset by the typical profit margin of these facilities and that there is no possibility of abuse of this service since people typically don't have teeth pulled for fun. We also feel this is morally urgent.

Emergency rooms are required to provide minimum basic care to all who need it, yet dentists can not be found in emergency rooms, therefor a provision must be made of minimum emergency dental care.

The attitude that extreme tooth pain is not an emergency medical condition is driven solely by greed. Tooth malfunction can be as life threatening and painful as a kidney stone. It needs to be treated as such.

Many people have died for want of tooth removal due to infections and that's not to mention the untold hours of agony needlessly endured simply due to poverty on the one hand, and greed on the other.

This is simply unacceptable in a society as affluent as ours.

In order for the change to be fair it must be applied to all dental care providers simultaneously. Existing dental care providers should also be allowed a reasonable amount of time to meet the requirements of those seeking the service. We suggest that at the minimum one in every 25 procedures be the provision of a Pro Bono tooth removal visit if anyone is on the waiting list for that particular provider.

If a particular provider has no one on its waiting list then requests for this service must be given an appointment within 72 hours, as they are by definition of an emergency nature.

We demand that any level of anesthetic in addition to follow up antibiotics and non-narcotic pain killers be offered without charge so that everyone including extreme phobics can be given basic freedom from excruciating pain and the risk of needless avoidable death.

We believe the vast majority of people who qualify will do their very best to find other forms of care, but this fall back must be made to exist to prevent untold suffering and needless injury or death.

Existing attempts to provide dental care to the impoverished are wholly insufficient in extreme cases. Free cleanings and the occasional filling are simply not enough for the most extreme and there for most urgent cases.

There is no such thing as personal dental insurance in the United States. Voluntary Pro Bono systems are far too over taxed due to their scarcity and their variety of services.

This is the only option which best serves everyone, and balances the desire for profit and the defense of human rights.