Magazine explores 'dental deserts' in Wis.

Half of the counties in Wisconsin -- mostly rural areas -- are considered to be "dental deserts," where not enough dentists are available to serve the population, according to an article in the September edition of Milwaukee Magazine.

The story explains how some 200 dentists are needed to cover the shortage in rural areas in Wisconsin. While the state's dental school at Marquette University is turning out enough dentists to meet Wisconsin's needs, too many dentists are settling in cities and not enough in rural areas, according to the article.

In some rural areas, it can take up to a year to get a dental appointment, the story notes. And while state legislators recently put together a package to provide scholarships to dental students if they committed to work up to six years in a rural area, the proposal was vetoed by the state governor, who objected to earmarking funding for just one area of healthcare.