ADULT DENTAL
BENEFITS
ADULT DENTAL
BENEFITS
Improving the Oral Health of the Most Underserved Kansans
Oral health plays an important role in a person’s overall health. Poor oral hygiene can elevate chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In pregnant women, it can lead to pre-term delivery or a baby with low birth weight. Oral health can also impact employment opportunities and peer acceptance.
The current Kansas Medicaid state plan offers only emergency extractions in terms of dental coverage. Additional dental services are covered through value added benefits offered by the Managed Care Organizations but these can vary year to year and are still not comprehensive care. Comprehensive dental benefits would enable Kansans who rely on Medicaid for their dental insurance to access both preventive and restorative (i.e. fillings, root canals, etc) dental care improving their oral health, overall health, and quality of life.
Estimating the Cost of Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits in Kansas
In 2021, Oral Health Kansas collaborated with the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute to prepare a two-page report utilizing Kansas data to show the costs and savings associated with the introduction of comprehensive adult dental benefits in the Kansas Medicaid program. The study, Estimating the Cost of Introducing Comprehensive Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits in Kansas, found the net cost translates to $0.51 per enrollee per month in state funds. The full report can be found here. Estimating the Cost of Introducing Comprehensive Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits in Kansas is a two-page supplement to a white paper, Making the Case for Dental Coverage for Adults in All State Medicaid Programs, released in July 2021 by the ADA Health Policy Institute, Families USA, and Community Catalyst.
Neil - "It seemed an insurmountable effort to find dental care for my son after he turned 21 and sedation dentistry options were limited. Therefore, it was difficult to get regular dental check-ups. It took 6 months to get an appointment".
– Aldona Carney, Neil's mother
Sandra - "When Sandra turned 21 everything changed. She lost her dentist whom she had since birth. I began to search for dentists who also accepted Medicaid. It was not an easy task". – Melanie, Sandra's mother
How Can I Take Action or Get Involved?
Current Supporters:
Kansas Action for Children Kansas Head Start Association InterHab Johnson County Community College Dental Hygiene Program SKIL Resource Center Community Care Network of Kansas Kansas Dental Hygienists’ Association NAMI Kansas REACH Healthcare Foundation Butler County CDDO Johnson County Dental Care Health Forward Foundation KanCare Advocates Network Kansas Advocates for Better Care Kansas Health Foundation Sunflower Foundation United Methodist Health Ministry Fund Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas Community Action, Inc. Fales Pediatric Dentistry, PA Leading Age Kansas Central Plains Area Agency on Aging Kansas Association of Area Agencies on Aging Kansas Public Health Association
Join our list here! Contact our Policy Director, Christi Wells, with any questions.
OHK Advocacy Toolkit
Additional Resources:
Medicaid Dental Coverage in Kansas Dental Insurance Report Kansas Report Card Michigan’s Dental Coverage Study Maryland Medicaid Adult Dental Waiver Program Study ADA Health Policy Institute White Paper: Making the Case for Dental Coverage for Adults in All State Medicaid Programs
This work is made possible with financial support from:
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