COLUMBUS, Ohio - It's more than just keeping their pearly whites white . . . Many of Ohio's young children are unable to get the dental care they need to stay healthy. According to a recent report from the Ohio Department of Health, more than half of the state's children have experienced tooth decay by third grade. And while it varies by location, family income and insurance, children in Appalachian counties disproportionately suffer the consequences of untreated cavities and have a greater need for urgent dental care.

The executive director of Knox County Head Start, Peg Tazewell, says it's a familiar story.

"Because we are in a community where there is not a lot of access to dental care and there's actually no pediatric dentists, we still do see at times children with severe dental problems that we need to send to Columbus to receive care."

Tazewell says it's important to target children at a young age so they can learn habits that will last a lifetime. She says some people don't see the connection between oral and physical health.

"Probably what we don't do yet is to help them to see the connection to long-term health. And I think if we could try to make more of a connection to long-term health outcomes, we might move a little bit further along."

Tazewell says more creative ideas are needed to increase access to comprehensive dental care in rural communities. Her program has been able to help some children get transportation to and from a dentist. She says expanding oral health education in schools is also crucial.

"Within Head Start, we're serving pregnant moms, infants and toddlers and then preschoolers up until kindergarten age. And if we could ensure that, when children are going into the elementary schools, there continues to be a focus on dental health, I think that we'll see some long-term success."

Tazewell's program is among those in the state working to better educate parents and families about dental health so prevention and treatment can begin at a young age. To help increase access to care, the report recommends measures such as dentist loan repayment programs and school-based interventions such as sealant programs and mobile dental vans.

Other solutions include expanding the dental work force to allow new mid-level dental providers to practice preventive and routine dental services in communities that need more affordable care.

The report "Oral Health isn't Optional" can be found at www.odh.ohio.gov





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After more than 50 years of use, some Michigan lawmakers say naloxone may not be the best choice in an overdose situation.

Naloxone is sometimes called the "Lazarus drug" because of its powerful ability to seemingly resurrect people after a drug overdose.

Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, and some of his colleagues have introduced a bill which would open the door for what they say are more costly, but more powerful, antidotes.

"Given the prevalence of fentanyl in our communities, and how much stronger some of these drugs that we're now seeing are, we believe -- and in talking with others -- that there should be other tools to respond to an overdose," Hertel explained. "To make sure we're doing everything we can to save somebody's life."

Not everyone is on board with the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 542. Opponents argued the more expensive naloxone alternatives are not necessary, and using them would only increase profits for the pharmaceutical industry.

Jonathan Stoltman, director of the Opioid Policy Institute in Grand Rapids, said while the naloxone alternatives do help in overdose situations, they can also cause nasty side effects.

"The newer approaches, they put people into more severe withdrawal," Stoltman pointed out. "That's a pretty profound negative side effect. The one approach is very inexpensive and works great; the other approach is far more expensive and has this strong negative side effect."

Sponsors of the bill say they're hoping to give Michigan residents a chance to chime in on the issue in a public hearing sometime in June. Michigan saw more than 3,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2021.


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New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.

New York's medical aid-in-dying bill is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is supporting the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

The bill's Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, said despite the growing support, other hurdles lie ahead.

"Now we have what I believe, if it came to the floor, a majority. There's still a hesitation on the part of leadership. You know, we need members to assure leadership that they no longer have reservations," she said.

Other newly resolved concerns center on making sure insurance companies and doctors who don't support this aren't held liable. She's optimistic the bill will pass after nine years in the Legislature. New York would be the 11th state along with Washington, D.C. to have medical aid in dying legislation.

Corinne Carey, senior New York campaign director with Compassion and Choices finds the pandemic drew a vivid picture of a person's end-of-life experience. There were images of people dying on ventilators, apart from loved ones, and unable to communicate. She said people began thinking about a "good death."

"And, what is a good death is being surrounded by loved ones, having some measure of control, experiencing the touch of your loved ones, and being the one in the driver's seat," she explained.

Now people have different options for end-of-life care, each of which presents various challenges. Polls show medical aid in dying has garnered considerable support since being introduced in 2015. A 2022 Compassion and Choices poll finds 57% of nurses support medical aid in dying professionally, although fewer support it personally.