To the Editor:

With the recent announcement of Anchor Medical’s closure, Rhode Island is witnessing the inevitable outcome of years of unheeded warnings about our collapsing health care infrastructure.

Dentistry is on the same path – and we’re dangerously close to the breaking point.

For years, dentists have sounded the alarm about inadequate insurance reimbursements. Compared to our neighboring states, dentists in Rhode Island are paid, on average, 30% less – some rates are more than 50% lower. These disparities aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; they’re the root of a growing access-to-care crisis.

Delta Dental of RI and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI have failed to keep pace with regional standards for nearly two decades. This stagnation has real consequences. Rhode Island struggles to attract new dental professionals as seasoned dentists retire. The result? Months-long waits for appointments, especially for oral surgery and pediatric care.

The issue doesn’t stop there. Because dentists in Massachusetts and Connecticut can offer more competitive wages to dental assistants and hygienists, Rhode Island practices are losing essential staff – further straining our system.

And perhaps most troubling: fewer dentists are able to participate in the state’s dental-assistance program. Without fair reimbursement, many can no longer afford to serve Rhode Island’s most vulnerable patients.

The time to act is now. What once were warning signs are now full-blown alarms demanding immediate action. If reimbursement rates don’t change, dentistry in RI will sink just like another anchor.

Dr. Andrew 'Andy' Gazerro,
West Warwick

The writer is a 28-year practicing dentist, president of the Rhode Island Dental Association and a former member of the American Dental Association Council on Dental Benefit Programs.