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Residents tell court Harney County lacks dentists who accept Medicaid; county will ask partners for follow-up
Summary
A public commenter told Harney County Court the county has lost dentists who serve Medicaid patients and urged the county to explore incentives and state programs to attract providers; officials said they will raise the issue with regional health partners and the Association of Oregon Counties.
A Harney County resident told the county court on Sept. 19 that Parnosa Village and other local areas have lost dental providers who treat Medicaid patients, leaving low-income residents with longer travel for dental care.
Barbara Kennedy (public commenter) said the remaining dentist who had taken Medicaid patients was leaving and that a program once offering student-loan repayment for providers in rural areas may no longer be available. "We no longer have a dentist there. And... we don't have a dentist that services Medicaid patients," Kennedy said. She asked the court whether county economic-development or community-health partners could support incentives to attract dentists.
Commissioners and staff said the issue is being discussed in the countycommunity health partnership and with Greater Oregon Behavioral Health and that they would raise the matter with the Association of Oregon Counties. "That is a big problem because now those patients have to travel farther," an identified county participant said. Officials also discussed transportation support available under the Oregon Health Plan but said transportation to distant clinics is complicated and not a long-term solution.
Why it matters: Loss of local dentists who accept Medicaid affects access to preventive and urgent dental care for low-income residents and can increase travel burdens and overall health inequities. Officials said they would follow up with regional partners and with the local community-health group, and that one dentist expected to report on recruitment efforts in the coming weeks.
Ending: County staff and the commissioner said they would raise the topic at the next community-health partnership meeting and ask the Association of Oregon Counties and regional partners about incentives or programs that could help recruit or retain Medicaid-serving dentists.
