What Has Medicaid Already Done for US Oral Health?
Oral health is widely recognized as a vital part of overall health and well-being. In the United States, dental caries remains the most common chronic disease among both children and adults. Other conditions—such as tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer—also have a serious impact on daily life, nutrition, speech, and self-confidence. To help address these challenges, Medicaid has played a major role in improving access to dental and oral health services for millions of Americans.
One of Medicaid’s most significant contributions is mandatory dental coverage for children through the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. This ensures that eligible children receive preventive services such as exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and necessary dental treatments at little or no cost. As a result, early detection and treatment of dental problems have improved, reducing long-term oral health issues.
For adults, Medicaid dental benefits vary by state, but many states now offer expanded coverage beyond emergency care. These benefits often include preventive services, fillings, extractions, and in some cases dentures. By lowering financial barriers, Medicaid has helped more adults seek timely dental care instead of delaying treatment until problems become severe.
Medicaid has also supported community health centers and public dental clinics, increasing provider participation and expanding care in underserved areas. Overall, Medicaid has helped reduce oral health disparities, promote preventive care, and improve quality of life—especially for low-income families, children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.
It is acknowledged that oral health is crucial to the overall health and well-being of people. While dental caries is the most common chronic disease among adults and children in the United States, other oral diseases like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer also greatly impact people’s daily life. To change the situation, Medicaid, as an insurance program, offers a number of citizen-friendly policies to make dental services more affordable, so that to improve access to dental and oral health services.
