Addressing Oral Health of Low-Income Populations—A Call to Action
Authors: Tamanna Tiwari, Julie Franstve-Hawley
Journal: JAMA Network Open (2021)

The study by Elani et al 1 evaluates the association of Medicaid expansion with the utilization of adult dental services and variation in utilization across states.The authors used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2009 to 2018, including over 7000 low-income adults in the study.They found that Medicaid expansion in states that included adult dental benefits was associated with increased access to dental care, reduced uninsured rate, and a reduction in the prevalence of untreated decayed teeth.In expansion states that did not have Medicaid adult dental benefits, the expansion was associated with a significant increase in the number of missing teeth.The authors concluded that states that included Medicaid dental benefits in their expansion may have offered a chance for low-income adults to retain their teeth and have a better quality of life.In comparison, the states that did not provide the Medicaid dental benefit may have pushed the low-income adults toward tooth loss and edentulism.Overall, they found that Medicaid coverage of adult dental services was associated with enhanced access to dental care and improved oral health for low-income populations.Oral health is recognized as an essential component of the overall health and quality of life of individuals.Poor oral health can increase the risks associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. 2 Furthermore, poor oral health has social repercussions and impacts employability and work presenteeism. 3Low-income adults are twice as likely to experience tooth decay and gum disease and have unmet oral health needs. 4Coverage for dental services under Medicaid is one of the few options for low-income adults to access and receive dental care.Without Medicaid adult dental coverage, low-income adults are left to seek care at emergency departments, which is an unsustainable and costly option.In addition, visiting the emergency departments does not promote optimal oral health, as patients are often given antibiotics and pain medication and not definitive treatment for their dental problem.In fact, uninsured adults are 3 times more likely to visit the emergency department for dental emergencies than privately insured adults. 5dicaid adult dental coverage varies significantly across states.According to a report from the Center for Health Care Strategies, 3 states have no adult dental coverage, 11 have emergency dental services only, 15 have limited dental benefit, and 20 states and Washington, DC, have extensive coverage under Medicaid. 6State variation in coverage is related to state budgetary considerations.The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion has provided federal dollars to several states, such as California and Washington, to prioritize implementing an adult dental benefit under Medicaid.Other states have used innovative methods to fund adult dental coverage.For example, Colorado identified Unclaimed Property Trust as a source of financing the benefit. 6ke the article by Elani et al, 1 other publications have provided evidence that Medicaid adult dental benefits were associated with greater probability of visiting the dentist yearly, positive oral health outcomes, and reduced unmet dental needs. 7Also, Medicaid expansion that includes adult dental benefits may have affected the type of treatments provided to the low-income populationcomparing the kind of dental health services before and after implementation of Medicaid adult dental benefits in Colorado showed that the benefit was associated with increased tooth-saving procedures, including restorations, endodontic and periodontal treatments, and a downward trend in tooth extractions. 8e long-term benefits of expanding Medicaid adult dental benefits can help low-income adults establish a dental home and receive regular care.It can promote greater use of preventive approaches, helping to detect oral diseases earlier, which can help reduce the cost of treatments, +