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Author Topic: boy dies for want of a dentist  (Read 2396 times)

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Offline Organic

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boy dies for want of a dentist
« on: February 28, 2007, 07:12:18 PM »
Maryland boy, 12, dies after bacteria from tooth spread to his brain

WASHINGTON - Twelve-year-old Deamonte Driver died of a toothache Sunday.

A routine, $80 tooth extraction might have saved him.

If his mother had been insured.

If his family had not lost its Medicaid.

If Medicaid dentists weren't so hard to find.

If his mother hadn't been focused on getting a dentist for his brother, who had six rotted teeth

By the time Deamonte's own aching tooth got any attention, the bacteria from the abscess had spread to his brain, doctors said. After two operations and more than six weeks of hospital care, the Prince George's County boy died.

Deamonte's death and the ultimate cost of his care, which could total more than $250,000, underscore an often-overlooked concern in the debate over universal health coverage: dental care.

Some poor children have no dental coverage at all. Others travel three hours to find a dentist willing to take Medicaid patients and accept the incumbent paperwork. And some, including Deamonte's brother, get in for a tooth cleaning but have trouble securing an oral surgeon to fix deeper problems.

In spite of efforts to change the system, fewer than one in three children in Maryland's Medicaid program received any dental service at all in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

‘They know there is a problem’
The figures were worse elsewhere in the region. In the District, 29.3 percent got treatment, and in Virginia, 24.3 percent were treated, although all three jurisdictions say they have done a better job reaching children in recent years.

"I certainly hope the state agencies responsible for making sure these children have dental care take note so that Deamonte didn't die in vain," said Laurie Norris, a lawyer for the Baltimore-based Public Justice Center who tried to help the Driver family. "They know there is a problem, and they have not devoted adequate resources to solving it."

Maryland officials emphasize that the delivery of basic care has improved greatly since 1997, when the state instituted a managed care program, and in 1998, when legislation that provided more money and set standards for access to dental care for poor children was enacted.

About 900 of the state's 5,500 dentists accept Medicaid patients, said Arthur Fridley, last year's president of the Maryland State Dental Association. Referring patients to specialists can be particularly difficult.

Fewer than 16 percent of Maryland's Medicaid children received restorative services -- such as filling cavities -- in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available.

wahsington post!

Poor people does suffer regardless of where they live!!!
Perhaps the epitome of a Trinidadian is the child in the third row class with a dark skin and crinkly plaits who looks at you out of decidedly Chinese eyes and announces herself as Jacqueline Maharaj.- Merle Hodge

Offline Queen Macoomeh

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2007, 07:14:54 PM »
I just read that news ticker....

it goes beyond crying shame...

Offline grskywalker

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2007, 08:36:16 AM »
This is the state of affairs in the US. Medical practicioners and health coverage providers have abandoned their oath to save lives at the expense of the almighty dollar. If yuh poor yuh have no chance of getting anything in the US. Bush ain't care about the poor blacks in this country at all

Offline Queen Macoomeh

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2007, 09:08:28 AM »
not just poor blacks. There are more blacks at the bottom of the ladder this is true. But poor everybody-else is in deep cah cah. There is one such woman I know. She has stomach cancer, botched cheap surgeries, can't afford anything more and now just letting her cancer eat through her body. She got a job but the coverage won't touch her because of pre-exisiting medical issues.

It's the dollar they want, not the genocide. At least that's how it looks to me.

« Last Edit: March 02, 2007, 09:12:14 AM by Queen Macoomeh »

truetrini

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2007, 09:25:17 AM »
and I know thousands of cases where poor people get excellent care FUH FREE right here in dese United States.

No excuses eh, but why dat youth have such bad teeth?  Education is ah hell of ah thing eh.

education expensive but ignorance more so.


Offline Queen Macoomeh

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2007, 09:59:03 AM »
very true but it's a vicious cycle I think..

the ignorance can come from lack of education because you get sub standard book learning because you are poor. Many rise from those ashes but many more remain in it. The good teachers tend to want to teach at the good schools. The teachers who just want a paycheque or who graduated at the bottom of teacher school, tend to go to the poorer places.

I think the child's mother was seeing about her other son's 6 rotten teeth and may have felt the one rotten tooth of the deceased could wait. I don't know and can't make excuses for her.
True some poor folks wallow in it and some try to get out but keep getting kicked back in.

In some states it is worse than others, some towns are worse than the town just next door. I've noticed in the US especially, you can turn a corner and end up in a different world with different rules.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2007, 10:24:00 AM by Queen Macoomeh »

truetrini

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2007, 10:27:26 AM »
very true but it's a vicious cycle I think..

the ignorance can come from lack of education because you get sub standard book learning because youa re poor. Many rise from those ashes but many more remain in it. The good teachers want to teach at the good schools. The teachers who just want a paycheque or who graduated at the bottom of teacher school, go to the poorer places.

I think the child's mother was seeing about her other son's 6 rotten teeth and may have felt the one rotten teeth of the deceased could wait. I don't know and can't make excuses for her.
True some poor folks wallow in it and some try to get out but keep getting kicked back in.

In some states it is worse than others, some towns are worst than the town just next door. I've noticed in the US especially, you can turn a corner and end up in a different world with different rules.

yuh know de old talk about teaches who graduate de bottom etc....is jes dat old talk.  we have ah saying up here....especially in medical school.

C=M.D...yuh is ah teacher.  Some ah de very best teachers learn on de job and there are many GREAT teachers in dem same poor areas.

Good teachers teach where they are...is not like ah new teacher culd pick and choose wey dey want to teach, often times dey have tuh take de wuk where it available.  What makes teaching in poor areas troublesome for teachers (I am talking from experience), is lack of parental involvement!  De schools already suffering from proper infrastructure, funding etc.  but den de teachers have tuh deal with NO PARENTAL involvement.  Queenie dat is what does make de biggest and most marked difference. When parents involed, especially fathers.....children improve,

I am NOT absolving some teachers at all eh.  Teachers  can make or break students early on.  According to their expectations, chiren rise as high as teachers demand.  So teachers have some resp[ponsibility,  the other problem is dem damn SOL's Standards of Learning.  Teachers in de states have ah pacing guide, so by ah certain day dey have to be on ah certain topic to proepare the students fuh dey SOL's.  dat is ah serious problem as ALL students doh progress at de same rate.  some will be left behind and those are usually the poorest as parents place little expectations on their chiren and in many cases are absent or put little input into their chirrens lives and academic careers.

As any teacher will tell you, they can tell really early which students look at Jim Leher news hour and which ones spend time looking at Jerry Springer.

which students take family trips and which ones hang out on de block.

Sad but true.  But ultimately yuh also right in yuh assertion dat there is NO SUCH THING AS EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY in de USA.  Poor hoods, doh get de funding, when dey do get businesses to go in dem areas dem businesses does get BIG tax breaks and so contribute little towards education.  So more pressure. 

Offline Bourbon

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2007, 10:41:08 AM »
Whew!! For a minute i thought this did happen here oui!! Some time bout 2005 i remember a youth dying after going to recieve treatment for a broken leg. This is still sad though........
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline Queen Macoomeh

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2007, 11:14:20 AM »
TT, no I don't see that as 'ole talk'...a poor grad is not the same as a top grad even if they are both allowed to carry the MD.
I've dealt with all kinds of grads and you can tell who the sharp ones are and who skated through school. Who ahs the passion and who does not.

Around where I live the school board has money and attracts the better and more experienced teachers - it is not a hard and fast rule but the trend is there. The grad schools are better and they lure them here. The poorer schools are not that far away, yet they struggle to get the right teachers. Agreed you learn on the job in this profession and get better with time (or not). And yes there are some fabulous teachers in poor schools.

Parent involvement? Oh heck yes! But again, back to my vicious cycle theory. Single poor mom working 2 jobs can't go to the PTA meetings and meet with the teachers. Little Johnny has no one to bat for him and even if she does turn up, she may not have a clue what the teacher means because mom herself has a poor grade 4-6 education.

There are a lot on ingredients in this mess. Some children can have the best ot it all, good teachers, involved moms and dads and STILL end up skidding..
There is a township near me. Top grades for their school system but my son won't go there. Why? They are rich, future klansmen.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2007, 11:19:29 AM by Queen Macoomeh »

Offline Organic

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2007, 11:54:19 AM »
very true but it's a vicious cycle I think..

the ignorance can come from lack of education because you get sub standard book learning because youa re poor. Many rise from those ashes but many more remain in it. The good teachers want to teach at the good schools. The teachers who just want a paycheque or who graduated at the bottom of teacher school, go to the poorer places.

I think the child's mother was seeing about her other son's 6 rotten teeth and may have felt the one rotten teeth of the deceased could wait. I don't know and can't make excuses for her.
True some poor folks wallow in it and some try to get out but keep getting kicked back in.

In some states it is worse than others, some towns are worst than the town just next door. I've noticed in the US especially, you can turn a corner and end up in a different world with different rules.

yuh know de old talk about teaches who graduate de bottom etc....is jes dat old talk.  we have ah saying up here....especially in medical school.

C=M.D...yuh is ah teacher.  Some ah de very best teachers learn on de job and there are many GREAT teachers in dem same poor areas.

Good teachers teach where they are...is not like ah new teacher culd pick and choose wey dey want to teach, often times dey have tuh take de wuk where it available.  What makes teaching in poor areas troublesome for teachers (I am talking from experience), is lack of parental involvement!  De schools already suffering from proper infrastructure, funding etc.  but den de teachers have tuh deal with NO PARENTAL involvement.  Queenie dat is what does make de biggest and most marked difference. When parents involed, especially fathers.....children improve,

I am NOT absolving some teachers at all eh.  Teachers  can make or break students early on.  According to their expectations, chiren rise as high as teachers demand.  So teachers have some resp[ponsibility,  the other problem is dem damn SOL's Standards of Learning.  Teachers in de states have ah pacing guide, so by ah certain day dey have to be on ah certain topic to proepare the students fuh dey SOL's.  dat is ah serious problem as ALL students doh progress at de same rate.  some will be left behind and those are usually the poorest as parents place little expectations on their chiren and in many cases are absent or put little input into their chirrens lives and academic careers.

As any teacher will tell you, they can tell really early which students look at Jim Leher news hour and which ones spend time looking at Jerry Springer.

which students take family trips and which ones hang out on de block.

Sad but true.  But ultimately yuh also right in yuh assertion dat there is NO SUCH THING AS EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY in de USA.  Poor hoods, doh get de funding, when dey do get businesses to go in dem areas dem businesses does get BIG tax breaks and so contribute little towards education.  So more pressure. 
well in canada i have witness where in a allfuent area. the parents dont wait on the board do do anythign..what ever the shcool requires for the chidlren the pta does jump in and provide it. the shcool mainly caters for the leanring disabled, not by design but the parents give the schoola ll the latest technology and tools to cope with those chidlren. and because of that the students have as much support as they need.
Perhaps the epitome of a Trinidadian is the child in the third row class with a dark skin and crinkly plaits who looks at you out of decidedly Chinese eyes and announces herself as Jacqueline Maharaj.- Merle Hodge

Offline Pointman

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Re: boy dies for want of a dentist
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2007, 03:25:01 PM »
There are free services for that.

Jah!!!
Trini to de bone; Pointman to de bone.

 

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