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Cavities are a common childhood issue—and one that disproportionately affects low-income families. While over half of children between the ages of six and eight have had at least one cavity, research reveals that children in low-income families are twice as likely to develop cavities as children in higher-income families.
Poor oral health doesn’t just contribute to pain and infections. It can cause children to miss school, earn lower grades and even develop speech and eating problems, leading to lifelong challenges and disadvantages.
With knowledge of these issues, Dr. Bob Kumra, founder of Junior Smiles of Stafford and Kumra Orthodontics, opened his dental office in Stafford, Virginia (approximately 43 miles southwest of Washington, DC), with the specific goal of bringing effective preventive dentistry to underserved populations.
Identification of the Problem
What initially drew Dr. Kumra to open his office in Stafford? “I saw that in Stafford in particular, we had a large, underrepresented population that couldn’t necessarily afford great access to health care for children. Socio-economic status can greatly affect access to dental care and overall health – even for things most people take for granted, like getting teeth restored when they need fillings. Many people are not even educated about the essentials of dental care, which can make dental issues even worse.”
Less than half of adults living below the federal poverty level (FPL) or earning less than 200% of the FPL visit the dentist each year. On the other hand, approximately 75% of adults earning over 400% above the FPL visit the dentist each year, showing how easily income disparities can affect dental care.
The lack of dental care in low-income families has a pronounced effect on the children of these families, who often wait a long time before going to an introductory dental visit.
“The typical orthodontist sees children starting at age nine and up – but there are serious drawbacks to coming too late to start receiving dental care,” explains Dr. Godmother. “By the time they’re nine, they’ve already lost some teeth too early, which causes crowding and makes it harder for the adult teeth to come in properly.”
Inequalities that begin in childhood often persist into adulthood. Forty percent of low-income, non-Hispanic black working-age adults suffer from untreated tooth decay, contributing to over $45 billion in lost productivity in the United States each year. Twenty-nine percent of people in low-income groups report that the appearance of their teeth negatively affects their chances of getting a job interview.
Conversely, by helping to address oral health issues early in childhood and educating individuals on how to care for their teeth, a pediatric dentist can help set children on a path to long-term health and wellness.
A different approach to pediatric dental care
With a recognition of these basic problems, Dr. Kumra opened his dental office with a different mindset than most people expect from a dental office.
“I knew that opening a good, ethical pediatric dental office where we don’t sell treatment and instead focus on preventive dental care would be important to this community,” he says. “Even simple things like teaching a child how to brush their teeth properly in order to prevent and avoid cavities would make a huge difference. Better baby teeth mean better adult teeth, and habits that start in childhood can last into adulthood. I went out there with that philosophy.”
Dr. Kumra readily admits that his office’s emphasis on education and preventive treatment is quite unorthodox. For example, the office will bring patients in three months after their semi-annual teeth cleaning for a free checkup—just to see if they’re continuing to practice good oral care habits at home. The focus is not on what would normally be considered best for business, but what would be best for the patient.
As explained by Dr. Kumra, “We focus on educating the population instead of trying to sell treatment, which means better overall health for the patient in the long run. The focus on long-term education is somewhat counterintuitive because it means less money and less business for the dental office. But as a result, we’ve built a reputation as a place that doesn’t sell treatment and as the place people can trust to get preventative care and education. It’s been a slow growth this way, but it’s all happened in a very organic way that’s helped us become a staple in the community — a place people know they can trust.”
By putting the actual needs of patients first, the office of Dr. Kumra is able to directly counter many of the issues that can lead to long-term oral health problems among underserved low-income populations.
A valuable model
In this case, an overly conservative dentistry business model has turned into a powerful way of doing business. By focusing on the needs of the local community and emphasizing education about invasive treatment, Dr. Godmother to Pediatric Dental Care has already made a significant impact on the Stafford community.
Every pediatric dental office will strive to help their little patients feel at ease. But by focusing on education with the goal of promoting lifelong dental health, Dr. Kumra is poised to make a lasting impact on his patients and the Stafford, Virginia area in general.
