Long-Term Care Survey Alert

Open wide, nursing homes: The American Dental Association is calling attention to the oral health of your residents.

Data used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to shape federal regulations grossly underestimates the prevalence of oral disease in nursing home residents, the ADA says.

"[N]ational CMS data show that less than one percent of nursing facility residents across the country have gum disease. How can this be true when smaller sample studies have shown prevalence of gum disease in over 37 percent of the population? This is only one of several alarming statistics," argues Louisiana dentist Greg Folse.

ADA President Gregory Chadwick called on Congress and CMS to work with the ADA to improve dental care among the elderly, including, as a first step, making the assessment process more accurate.