title: Institutional barriers to providing oral health services for underserved populations in New York City.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to explore institutional barriers to the provision of oral health services for the underserved among inner-city health centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mail-based survey of Medicaid-approved health centers in New York City without oral health services. The importance of four barrier categories was rated: resource issues, dental provider difficulties, referral problems, and low priority of dental care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  36 health centers completed the survey. The most important barriers were resource issues (66.7% agreed), dental provider difficulties (29.4%), referral problems (24.2%), and low priority (15.2%). Top individual barriers were lack of start-up funds (88%), lack of physical space (74%), lack of available funding sources (71%), and low reimbursement rates for dental services (69%). Most centers (78%) identified a need for dental services for their patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Access to oral health care remains a large problem for the underserved. Institutional barriers will need to be addressed to close the gap.
authors.affiliation: Callen-Lorde Community Health Center/Lutheran Medical Center, 356 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011, USA. calixramos@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Cálix
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramos-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alos
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005376:Financial Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009519:New York City; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data