Deenay Vestal (center) waits for final instructions from Dr. Katrina Schuler-Bacon (left) and Vickie Francis during a visit to Mercy Care’s dental clinic at their facility off of Decatur St. in Atlanta on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Vestal received two prescriptions for a wisdom tooth that is cutting through her gums.
May 19, 2015 Atlanta – Deenay Vestal (center) waits for final instructions from Dr. Katrina Schuler-Bacon (left) and Vickie Francis during a visit to Mercy Care’s dental clinic at their facility off of Decatur St. in Atlanta on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Vestal received two prescriptions for a wisdom tooth that is cutting through her gums. Four and a half million Georgians lack dental insurance, and many of them haven’t seen a dentist in decades. The Affordable Care Act aimed to change that, and more than 84,000 Georgians enrolled one of 25 stand-alone dental plans in 2014. Yet dental care was not considered one of the law’s “essential benefits,” and so offerings from insurers were varied. Of the 91 medical policies that included dental benefits, there’s an array of deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses and premiums. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL