New Report Highlights Strategies to Improve Dental Care Access for Vulnerable Populations

USA: A recent research brief jointly published by the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Health Policy Institute and the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) outlines critical policy reforms and workforce strategies aimed at addressing persistent disparities in dental care access across the United States.

Barriers to Dental Care Persist Despite Efforts

Despite ongoing initiatives to improve dental care accessibility, significant challenges remain, particularly for Medicaid beneficiaries and rural residents. The report identifies several key factors contributing to these disparities:

• Low Medicaid reimbursement rates
• Administrative burdens in state Medicaid programs
• Insufficient supply of dentists in rural areas
• An aging dental workforce

According to the research, “17% of working-age adults reported that they did not obtain needed dental care due to cost in 2022.” This figure rises to around 30% for those at or below the federal poverty level.

Dental Support Organizations as Part of the Solution

The report suggests that Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) may play a crucial role in expanding access to dental care for vulnerable populations. DSOs provide non-clinical administrative services to dental practices, potentially allowing dentists to focus more on patient care.

Data indicates that “dentists affiliated with practices supported by DSOs have a higher rate of Medicaid participation (53.3%) than their non-DSO counterparts (40.3%).” This trend is particularly pronounced among newer dentists, with nearly one-quarter of those less than 10 years out of dental school now affiliated with DSO-supported practices.

Workforce Diversification and Rural Initiatives

The brief emphasizes the importance of diversifying the dental workforce to increase Medicaid participation. It notes that “Black, Hispanic, and Asian dentists and dentists who practice in rural areas have higher rates of Medicaid participation than White dentists or dentists in urban areas.”

To address shortages in rural areas, several dental schools have implemented specialized programs. For instance, Harvard School of Dental Medicine has launched an advanced education in general dentistry (AEGD) program aimed at placing new dentists in rural areas of New Hampshire.

Policy Recommendations and Legislative Efforts

The ADA and ADSO are advocating for several policy reforms to improve dental care access:

1. The Medicaid Dental Benefit Act, which would mandate dental coverage for all adult Medicaid beneficiaries
2. The SMILED Act, aimed at reducing administrative burdens for dentists participating in Medicaid
3. The Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact (DDH Compact) to improve licensure portability across states

Additionally, the organizations support expanding loan forgiveness programs and community-based dental education initiatives to encourage more dentists to practice in underserved areas.