Millions of children in America, whose parents cannot afford a dentist, suffer from untreated tooth decay. According to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, "Dental disease remains a significant problem for children aged 2 through 18 in Medicaid."

It is estimated that 6.5 million U.S. children who were under the Medicaid public health insurance program have untreated tooth decay. After the death of Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old Maryland Medicaid patient whose mother could not find a dentist to treat his infected tooth which led to a brain infection, GAO was asked to investigate the matter. "If there had been a CDHC in the school that Deamonte Driver attended, we believe this tragedy could have been prevented," she said.

"Through a routine exam, a CDHC could have spotted a simple cavity, filled the cavity with a temporary filling, and made arrangements for care by a dentist," she said.

Dr. Jane S. Grover, first vice president of the American Dental Association felt that the Oral Health Care System could not help and save the life of this child. He commented, “Fundamental changes to the Medicaid program are long overdue to prevent the possibility of future tragedies like Deamonte and to ensure that all low-income children have the same access to oral health care services enjoyed by the majority of Americans."

"All of us -- practitioners, payers, parents and policymakers -- need to come together and make the system work for the most vulnerable among us," she said.