The many issues with the American healthcare system are often so cartoonish, so overtly head-scratching and backwards, that it can seem silly and hopeless these days to even point them out.

Astronomically high costs, massive amounts of waste and fraud, and millions of people opting to just not go to the doctor rather than deal with it all are simply accepted as features of the system by many — a cliche of incompetence, inefficiency, and greed.

But in one small way, at least, it doesn’t need to be this way. Specifically for dental care in Rhode Island. That is, at least, if a bill in the general assembly actually gets the traction needed to pass.

The “Rhode Island Fair Share for Dental Care Act”, introduced in the House by Rep. Joseph McNamara and in the Senate by Sen. Hanna Gallo, seeks to require dental insurance providers to spend at least 85% of the revenue they receive from customer premiums go towards actual dental care, rather than things like salaries and bonuses for administrators. By doing so, the hope is that it would reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients, and make dental plans more transparent in terms of how much different services cost, and ultimately make dental care a more desirable and less scary thing for all Rhode Islanders.

The bill has precedent in (where else) neighboring Massachusetts, which passed through voter referendum a similar measure in 2022, and was supported by nearly 3/4 of the voting populace. This is a good, common sense bill aimed at reducing the ability for insurance carriers to waste money on frivolities and pass off the resulting financial imbalance onto the backs of premium payers.

Nobody should have to choose tooth pain over spending thousands on a dental procedure, and dental insurance holders should feel confident in how much that insurance will pay for their procedures before sitting down in the chair.

We support the Rhode Island Fair Share for Dental Care Act, and implore both chambers to move quickly on getting it to the Governor’s desk for the benefit of smiles throughout Rhode Island.