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Dental benefits

  • The Role of Physicians in Children’s Oral Health

    Dental disease is the most common chronic disease among children in the United States. Although Medicaid entitles children to medically necessary dental care under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit, many children do not see a dentist until age 3 or later – even though cavity risk factors can be well established before a child’s first birthday and before the first tooth erupts. Untreated dental disease can lead to dietary problems, infection, missed school days, and a lower quality of life.
    Chris Cantrell, Policy Analyst
    December 2008
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  • Medicaid Coverage of Adult Dental Services

    This State Health Policy Monitor presents the results of a 2008 survey of state Medicaid programs, which provides an update on the status of states' Medicaid coverage of adult dental services. As of early 2008, 45 states, including the District of Columbia, provided some type of coverage of dental benefits to at least some Medicaid-enrolled adults. However, this coverage varied by state.   This Monitor describes state variation in the types of dental services and degree of coverage offered under Medicaid, as well as differences in total amount, duration, and scope of coverage.  This study shows an increase in 2008 in the number of states that offered dental coverage (in all categories, with no annual maximum) to adults;  it demonstrates how states showed perseverance in continuing coverage for their Medicaid adult population despite a difficult fiscal climate.  
    Mary McGinn-Shapiro
    October 2008
    Oral Health
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  • State Health Reform: How Do Dental Benefits Fit In? Options for Policy Makers

    This paper discusses the options that states have to include dental benefits in a health care reform plan, if the state desires to do so. Oral health resides, for all intents and purposes, in a different world from general health. Dental care is separate in financing and insurance; provider education, licensing, and regulation; and service delivery. While ambitious health care reform plans have been undertaken in several states and proposed in others, no recent reforms have included dental benefits for the majority of those who are included in the new coverage. The primary barrier for states in including dental coverage is cost – although the traditional separation of general health and oral health – is a factor.
    Andrew Snyder
    Shelly Gehshan
    April 2008
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  • Kansas Health Reform: Options for Adding Dental Benefits

    The United States is once again experiencing a steady wave of state health reforms intended to cover more uninsured people, restrain rising costs, improve health outcomes, and redistribute financial burdens. Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont were at the forefront in crafting broad, ambitious reforms and are well along in the implementation process. In many other states, including Kansas, plans are in motion or legislation is being crafted.
    Andrew Snyder
    Shelly Gehshan
    September 2007
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  • SCHIP Dental Benefits

    This State Health Policy Monitor examines the status of SCHIP dental benefits in the 39 states that have such benefits in their programs. The paper discusses the variations among states in covered services, cost sharing, and benefit caps.
    Andrew Snyder
    August 2007
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