by Sheila Schiwal, Stevensville
We are parents to a delightful 28-year-old daughter with a TBI/Cerebral Palsy.
Most people can’t appreciate that being a special needs parent is a challenging 24-hour job. Our daughter, who is our world, can’t be left on her own. We rarely have any personal time, date nights, vacations, and are in a pattern of constant worry and appointments. We are making sure our child has quality of life, independence, good health, faces challenges, feels valued, has social interactions, and continues learning.
Our daughter’s visit to her dentist revealed that two cavities needed filling. It is imperative that they are filled ASAP due to issues of bacteria and a repaired birth defect. Her dentist refused to do it as it requires sedation, even though he does it in his office. I believe that her Medicaid waiver didn’t pay enough in his opinion.
I called almost every dentist from Hamilton to Missoula trying to find a dentist to perform the procedure. Unfortunately, the closest office is two hours away in Ronan. The local dentists wouldn’t take her Medicaid or wouldn’t see new patients. I understand that they can only take so many Medicaid patients or are unwilling to do so. I also understand that at the end of the day it’s a business.
Things need to change. Medicaid should pay more to dentists, and dentists should reevaluate business practices.
My daughter isn’t the only special needs adult needing these services in our community.
Who is going to step up to help them?