Dental Gap
Many West Virginians have trouble with their teeth. In fact, there’s a big gap between folks who can reliably access an affordable dentist and those who can’t. That’s no surprise when half the state’s counties have fewer than six dentists. A recent national ranking shows West Virginia is second to last in overall oral health care. A state report shows that by third grade, 56 percent of children show signs of tooth decay, and 12 percent of adults have had all their teeth extracted.
People who don’t have good oral health habits and access to regular and quality dental care elevate their risk of other critical health care issues such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. About more than aesthetics or any toothless hillbilly stereotype, access to dental care is a dangerous culture divide that might look like a class gap but is deeper and far more serious.
Our Inside Appalachia team recently won several awards for our reporting. This week, we’re listening back to some of these stories, including one about the John Denver classic, “Take Me Home Country Roads,” which was first recorded 50 years ago in 1971. And we’ll learn how indie pro-wrestling in Southern West Virginia was able to keep going through the pandemic with drive-in shows. We’ll also hear about two Welsh storytellers and their fascination with Appalachia.
Disconnected Youth
There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, or working, or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are ‘disconnected youth’ and West Virginia has one of the highest rates in the nation 17 percent.
It’s a tough group to track down because there’s a stigma attached to this status. However, a few programs are trying to bridge this gap - to connect with young people and give them a pathway and support to train for a job and a career.
On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores why some young West Virginians struggle so much to move forward, and we ll hear from a few Mountain State leaders who talk about how we might help them.
Us & Them host Trey Kay asks students from his alma mater George Washington High School in Charleston, West Virginia, if they can envision their future in their home state. He also speaks with West Virginia native and former Intuit CEO Brad Smith who’s trying to transform the Mountain State into the “Start-up State.”
Published April 22, 2021 at 9:10 AM EDT Listen • 15:08
On this
West Virginia Morning, as the state vaccination campaign slows down, Gov. Jim Justice has indicated he would get rid of the mask mandate if 70% of the population get vaccinated. Then,
Us & Them host Trey Kay brings us a story on the political forces that divide us from a recent episode of the show. Finally, on Earth Day, we speak with a Marshall University professor about the pandemic s impact on the environment.
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