NY excludes dental benefits while PA and FL provide dental coverage in some parts but not all parts of their states. It is assumed that safety net providers serving low income children would provide or assure dental services. In the spirit of devolution and state flexibility, CHIP provides no direct legislative mandate for dental services but does support inclusion of oral health both in the law and accompanying report language. This is 5-8 times more common than asthma which is usually cited as the most common chronic condition of childhood. This proportion has increased with each survey.
Low income is the single best predictor of high caries experience in children.
Public Health Reports Volume 110. The 1997 National Health Interview Survey. Pediatric Dentistry Volume 14. Adult caries is associated with poor cardiac and obstetrical outcomes. Children get used to feeling constant pain.