title: The North Carolina Medicaid program: participation and perceptions among practicing orthodontists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited provider participation in the Medicaid program is a barrier to access to orthodontic care for Medicaid-eligible patients. The goals of this study were to determine the participation level of North Carolina (NC) orthodontists in the Medicaid program, to examine NC orthodontists' perceptions of the Medicaid program and its beneficiaries, and to determine whether there are differences between practitioners who do and do not accept Medicaid patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were mailed to all active orthodontists (n = 203) as reported in the NC State Dental Board of Licensing Section of the NC Health Professions Data System. Respondents were categorized as current Medicaid providers, past Medicaid providers, or orthodontists who have never accepted Medicaid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty of 166 respondents were current Medicaid providers, 33 were past providers, and 93 never accepted Medicaid patients. All 3 groups thought that low fee reimbursement is a major problem. Those who have never participated in the Medicaid program were more likely to perceive each barrier as a major problem. Past Medicaid providers saw broken appointments and tardiness to appointments as greater problems than current providers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceptions of Medicaid patients and lack of knowledge appear to be major barriers to provider participation.
authors: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7450, USA.
authors: Jannie L
authors: JL
authors: Im
authors: Ceib
authors: C
authors: Phillips
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Beane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009657:North Carolina; D009970:Orthodontics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
references: J Ambul Care Manage. 2006 Jan-Mar;29(1):36-50
references: 16340618
references: Med Care. 1979 Jan;17(1):43-58
references: 366292
references: Am J Orthod. 1966 Dec;52(12):922-6
references: 5334216
references: J Dent Educ. 1988 Nov;52(11):647-52
references: 3053823
references: Pediatr Dent. 1993 May-Jun;15(3):175-81
references: 8378154
references: Pediatr Dent. 2001 Sep-Oct;23(5):395-400
references: 11699161
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 1998 Jun;129(6):753-63
references: 9631617
references: Pediatr Dent. 1997 Jul-Aug;19(5):315-6
references: 9260222
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 1999 Mar;130(3):365-73
references: 10085659
references: Vital Health Stat 11. 1977 Feb;(162):1-65
references: 302520
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 2006 Jan;137(1):86-94
references: 16457004
references: J Health Polit Policy Law. 1997 Feb;22(1):5-21
references: 9057119
references: Vital Health Stat 11. 1973 Nov;(130):1-60
references: 25209689
references: Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2005 May;127(5):592-8
references: 15877040
references: Med Care. 1991 Jul;29(7):645-53
references: 2072769
references: J Dent Educ. 1985 Jun;49(6):386-97
references: 3859517
references: J Dent Educ. 1990 Nov;54(11):638-43
references: 2229619
references: JAMA. 1992 Apr 8;267(14):1942-6
references: 1296580
references: Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 1995 Mar;107(3):22A-23A
references: 7879751
references: J Public Health Dent. 1986 Fall;46(4):207-11
references: 3537281