Free dental treatment for Israeli children approved by Knesset

From NIF.org: "Earlier this week the Knesset's Labor, Welfare and Health Committee approved the introduction of free dental treatment for all Israeli children up to 8 years old starting July 1st.  The measure was a victory for the Coalition for Public Dental Health, of which veteran NIF grantees Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and Physicians for Human Rights are members.  This provision will be added to the "basket" of health services provided by the government through the Health Funds."

The Israeli cabinet approved the measure one year ago, but was delayed because of disagreements over the funding and minutae of the new policy. The Coalition for Public Dental Health will continue pressuring for implementation of free dental care for all Israelis, and ensure that the program to treat Israel's children up to age 8 will be continued beyond the initial five month trial.

American policy wonks could borrow a page from Israel. According to a 2007 study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, 16.3 million American children lacked dental insurance — nearly three times the number without medical insurance. Among these children, about 3 million were eligible for public dental insurance but had none; 8 million had medical insurance but no dental insurance.There are also serious disparities among the dentally-insured. Minority, immigrant and rural children were much less likely to be insured than other Americans.

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