US dental care crisis: It should not be a luxury to keep your teeth in your mouth

As chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, I recently held a hearing about the dental care crisis in the United States.

Ahead of that hearing, I asked Americans from across the country to share their experiences with dental care in our country.

The responses poured in from people who told us: "I am in constant pain," "I can't afford dental care," "I can't find a dentist," "My insurance won’t cover the dental procedures I need," and "I worry about...