In short-the Wagner-Murray-Dingell compulsory health insurance bill not good legislation for dental health! Will the American Dental Association program improve dental health? In opposing compulsory health insurance your dentist is not arguing for the status quo. For many years, the American Dental Association has advocated an expanded program to improve the dental health of the American people. In contrast to compulsory health insurance, the American Dental Association has a logical program. It utilizes professional resources and scientific knowledge to strike at the heart of the problem. The American Dental Association proposes: 1. Expanded research to discover the cause of dental diseases. 2. Expanded dental health education to motivate people to take better care of their teeth and their children's teeth. 3. Expanded dental care, particularly for children. The American Dental Association has asked Congress to put this dental health program into action by passing Senate bill 190, which provides funds for resear and Senate bill 1099, which allots Federal funds to assist States to increase denta. health education and dental care. DENTAL HEALTH FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A statement of principles of the house of delegates of the American Dental Association. 1. Research Adequate provisions should be made for research which may lead to the prevention or control of dental diseases. 2. Dental health education Dental health education should be included in all basic educational and treatment programs for children and adults. S. Dental care (a) Dental care should be available to all regardless of income or geograph location. (b) Programs developed for dental care should be based on the prevention and control of dental diseases. All available resources should first be used to provide adequate dental treatment for children and to eliminate pain and infertion for adults. (c) Dental health is the responsibility of the individual, the family, and the community in that order. When this responsibility, however, is not assame. by the community, it should be assumed by the State and then by the Feder Government. The community in all cases shall determine the methods for pr viding service in its area. BLUE PRINT FOR DENTAL HEALTH-RESEARCH-EDUCATION-DENTAL CAKE This blue print should be used to build a sound dental health program. The States Senate bills 190 and 1099, sponsored by the American Dental Associa should be enacted. You can help! Write your Congressman and Senator today! Tell them that you favor bills S. 190 and S. 1099 in the interest of better desta health for all and that you are opposed to compulsory health insurance and the Wagner-Murray-Dingell bill, S. 1606; H. R. 4730. BUREAU OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION 222 East Superior Street, Chicago 11, Ill. Senator DONNELL. I ask you also, Dr. Flagstad, whether or not there was prepared a statement on a national program for denta health by a joint committee of the council on dental health, committee on legislation, and committee on economics of the American Denta Association? Dr. FLAGSTAD. There was, Senator. Senator DONNELL. Has that document been distributed by the pureau of public relations? Dr. FLAGSTAD. It has to the dental profession. Senator DONNELL. Referring particularly to the testimony of Dr. Gruebbel, I call your attention to one paragraph, which I would like o have in the record, from pages 6 and 7 of that document: In keeping with the traditions that have made this country great, the program s based on the assumption of responsibility by all concerned, and the greatest responsibility is laid upon the American community. In this way local funds ind facilities, under local control, can be made to serve the interest of dental health. For this reason, among others, the American Dental Association has not ecognized a national compulsory health insurance system as effective or desir ible in providing dental care, i, e., because such a system nullifies local respon sibility and local control. Addressing myself to Dr. Gruebbel, I take it that states very disinctly the thought which you set forth a few moments ago in your estimony? Dr. GRUEBBEL. That is right, Senator. Senator DONNELL. I believe your testimony, Dr. Flagstad, indicates hat the members of the American Dental Association-they are more han two-thirds of the 75,000 dentists in the United States? Dr. FLATSTAD. That is right, Senator. Senator DONNELL. The membership of that association being approximately 56,000, and that you have constituent societies comprising all of the 48 States; is that right? Dr. FLAGSTAD. That is right. Senator DONNELL. This house of delegates plan has been in effect some years in your organization-that is, the plan of organization whereby a house of delegates is set forth? Dr. FLADSTAD. As long as I have been familiar with the association. Senator DONNELL. And that house of delegates is chosen from the country somewhat similarly to the method by which the house of delegates of the American Medical Association is chosen, is it not? Dr. FLAGSTAD. I presume it is along the same line. The house of delegates of the American Dental Association is composed of representatives from each State. Each State has a representation in proportion to its dental population, and they are elected by the State Association. Senator DONNELL. And you know, generally speaking, that the American Bar Association likewise has a house of delegates plan of organization, does it not? Dr. FLAGSTAD. I am not familiar. I will ask our committee. Senator DONNELL. That is correct, Mr. Fox, is it not? Mr. Fox. Yes. Senator DONNELL. What is your full name? Mr. Fox. George H. Fox. Senator DONNELL. You are located in Chicago? Mr. Fox. Yes, sir. Senator DONNELL. You are a lawyer? Mr. Fox. Yes. Senator DONNELL. How many years have you practiced? Mr. Fox. 18 years. Senator DONNELL. That is all. In short-the Wagner-Murray-Dingell compulsory health insur.. not good legislation for dental health! Will the American Dental Association program improve dental .. In opposing compulsory health insurance your dentist is not a status quo. For many years, the American Dental Association has advocated program to improve the dental health of the American people. In contrast to compulsory health insurance, the American Denti has a logical program. It utilizes professional resources and scient to strike at the heart of the problem. The American Dental Association proposes: 1. Expanded research to discover the cause of dental diseases. 2. Expanded dental health education to motivate people to tab of their teeth and their children's teeth. 3. Expanded dental care, particularly for children. The American Dental Association has asked Congress to put this program into action by passing Senate bill 190, which provides fund and Senate bill 1099, which allots Federal funds to assist States to health education and dental care. DENTAL HEALTH FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A statement of principles of the house of delegates of the Amer Association. 1. Research Adequate provisions should be made for research which may len vention or control of dental diseases. 2. Dental health education Dental health education should be included in all basic educationa ment programs for children and adults. 3. Dental care (a) Dental care should be available to all regardless of income location. (b) Programs developed for dental care should be based on th and control of dental diseases. All available resources should provide adequate dental treatment for children and to eliminate p tion for adults. (c) Dental health is the responsibility of the individual, the f community in that order. When this responsibility, however, by the community, it should be assumed by the State and then Government. The community in all cases shall determine the med viding service in its area. BLUE PRINT FOR DENTAL HEALTH-RESEARCH-EDUCATION-INTA This blue print should be used to build a sound dental health pro States Senate bills 190 and 1099, sponsored by the American Denta should be enacted. You can help! Write your Congressman and Senator today! Tell them that you favor bills S. 190 and S. 1099 in the interest of W health for all and that you are opposed to compulsory health insura Wagner-Murray-Dingell bill, S. 1606; H. R. 4730. BUREAU OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION 222 East Superior Street, Chicago 11, Ill Senator DONNELL. I ask you also, Dr. Flagstad, wh there was prepared a statement on a national program fr health by a joint committee of the council on dental health c on legislation, and committee on economics of the Amer Association? AGSTAD. There was, Senator. or DONNELL. Has that document been distributed by the of public relations? AGSTAD. It has-to the dental profession. or DONNELL. Referring particularly to the testimony of Dr. I, I call your attention to one paragraph, which I would like in the record, from pages 6 and 7 of that document: Ing with the traditions that have made this country great, the program on the assumption of responsibility by all concerned, and the greatest lity is laid upon the American community. In this way local funds sties, under local control, can be made to serve the interest of dental for this reason, among others, the American Dental Association has not 1 a national compulsory health insurance system as effective or desar oviding dental care, i, e., because such a system nullifies local responad local control. sing myself to Dr. Gruebbel, I take it that states very dis he thought which you set forth a few moments ago in your I RUFBBEL. That is right, Senator. or DONNFIL. I believe your testimony, Dr. Flagstad, indicates members of the American Dental Association-they are more -thirds of the 75,000 dentists in the United States! LAISTAD. That is right, Senator. or DONNELL. The membership of that association being ap tely 56,000, and that you have constituent societies comprising e 15 States; is that right? LAGSTAD. That is right. or DONNELL. This house of delegates plan has been in effect ars in your organization-that is, the plan of organization a house of delegates is set forth? TADSTAD. As long as I have been familiar with the association. or DONNELL, And that house of delegates is chosen from the Somewhat similarly to the method by which the house of delethe American Medical Association is chosen, is it not? LAGSTAD. I presume it is along the same line. The house of s of the American Dental Association is composed of reprees from each State. Each State has a representation in proto its dental population, and they are elected by the State ion. or DONNFIL. And you know, generally speaking, that the in Bar Association likewise has a house of delegates plan of ition, does it not? LAGSTAD, I am not familiar. I will a-k our committee. or DONNELL. That is correct, Mr. Fox, is it not ! ex. Yes. or DONNELL. How many years have you practiced! ox. 18 years. or DONNELL. That is all. The CHAIRMAN. Doctor, you have, of course, examined this bil! Dr. FLAGSTAD. Yes; we have examined it quite thoroughly. The CHAIRMAN. And it undertakes to provide for many of the thre that your association is in favor of. Do you not think it woudbe possible to have in this bill everything that you advocate as proper fothe dental care of the people? Dr. FLAGSTAD. I rather imagine, Senator, that it is possible, ye, b it does not contain it now. The CHAIRMAN. And it does not contain it now, but it would ♥ possible for you to suggest to us amendments that would make this provide the care which would be essential, in your judgment, and w would be the better method of handling the problem? Dr. FLAGSTAD. I think it would be rather difficult, and I sho H to call upon the editor of the American Dental Association Jo . Dr. Harold Hillenbrand, to answer that question. Dr. Hillenbrand is here. Dr. HILLENBRAND. I would like to give the informal opinion, that s long as the bill contains a compulsory health insurance program!. dental provisions, it would be extremely difficult to amend the b that regard. There is some possibility that S. 190 and S. 1099 might be placed a title I, but that would involve technical considerations which I am a prepared to discuss fully here. The CHAIRMAN. The bill provides in various sections scatte throughout the bill for local community participation, and it provi for study and recommendations on the full dental program by Surgeon General. Of course, at the present time you recognize that we would not have the personnel available in this country to give ac plete dental care for the American people. Dr. HILLENBRAND. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. But could not a study be made, and could not pro vision be made that would be a great step forward in bringing better dental health to the Nation? Dr. HILLENBRAND. Yes. The American Dental Association w urged that a start be made almost at once. A start, however, w would conserve rather than disperse dental personnel. A dental program such as mentioned in title II, would cause ¿ persion of dental personnel rather than conservation of dental pe sonnel. This is not true of a children's program. The CHAIRMAN. You think, with the present state of the person in the profession, that it would be better to concentrate on the visions with reference to the care of children? Dr. HILLENBRAND. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And that if you attempted to put on a full p gram, it would be a dispersion that would not be very effective? Dr. HILLENBRAND. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And that is because of the insufficient personnel the country? Dr. HILLENBRAND. Yes. Cruel as it may sound, it is not possible all adults to get all the dental care they need at the present time. W feel that to face this situation, in the best interests of the cunt" dental personnel should be devoted mainly to children and to the p vention and control of dental disease. |