Straight talk on health reform

Q: Health care reform will require me to buy health insurance. Will reform require me to buy dental insurance?

P, from Snellville

A: The new law does not compel people to buy dental insurance. When insurance exchanges open in 2014 for individuals and small businesses to buy health insurance, the plans offered will be required to cover dental care for children, the American Dental Association says.  Dental care for adults, though, is not considered a mandated benefit under the reform law’s ‘’essential benefits package.’’ The state insurance exchanges can offer dental insurance plans for adults, but individuals aren’t required to purchase that coverage, the dental organization says.