Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/338735
w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m J u l y 2 0 14 • I nsIgh t | 31 expand over the next few years. ere are currently 18 residents in the program. Dr. greg Long, edaCare's chief medical officer, says the changes will also allow residents to work in edaCare and Ministry's facilities outside of the Fox Cities; currently they do rotations at Appleton Medical Center and st. Elizabeth hospital. "We'll be able to expose them to what it's like to work in a more rural setting, such as new London, shawano or at Calumet Medical Center in Chilton," he says. "With having more residents in the program, we will have more options. is is about the local health care providers being able to direct more of the program and the local needs. Our hope is to get the residents engaged in the local community so aer their residency is over, they will consider staying here and practicing." Dental Demands The number of dentists in Wisconsin is expected to remain relatively stable until 2020, according to the Wisconsin Dental Association. A 2010 study found that state residents who have private insurance will have the same or better access to dental care. One segment of the population – those with Medicare and others who lack dental insurance – faces a bigger challenge when it comes to getting dental care since they can't pay for it. Since state health programs don't begin to cover the costs for routine or emergency care, many dentists limit the number of patients they accept – if they accept them at all. "We are reimbursed for only about 30 percent of what it costs to provide the care," says Dr. Paul Feit, a dentist with offices in Sturgeon Bay and Sister Bay. "You can't take on too many of these patients without doing serious damage to your business." The WDA is working with the Wisconsin Legislature to change how the reimbursements work, but change is slow going, he says. "Many dentists do volunteer for free care clinics, but it's still not enough to help everyone who needs it," Feit says. As for getting dentists to set up practices in rural counties, like Door, Feit says recruiting them is not the issue. "The problem is that many have very educated spouses so they might not have job options in the community. You really need to work with both the dentist and the spouse to make sure it's a good fit," he says. "Our hope is to get the residents engaged in the local community so after their residency is over, they will consider staying here and practicing." – D r. G re g lo n g, Th e d a Ca re's c h i e f m e d i c a l o f f i ce r