Filling the Gap:USDA, utility co-ops working to bring badly needed dental services to rural Iowans

摘要

Public information coordinator USDA Rural Development/Iowa e-mail: darin.leach@ia.usda.gov^From a very early age,ve are taught that lhaving healthy teeth land gums is essential to Ithe overall well-being of the entire body. "Your mouth is a window to what's going on in the rest of your body. It often serves as a helpful vantage point for detecting the early signs and symptoms of systemic diseases, such as diabetes," says Dr. Alison Shields, withHarlan Dental in Harlan, Iowa.However, having easy access to a dental professional is a challenge many rural Iowans face. Nearly 40 percent of the state's counties are home to just four or fewer private-practice dentists, and 10 percent of the counties have just one dentist.