How a North Carolina program boosted preventive oral health services for low-income children.
Dental caries (tooth decay), the most common chronic disease affecting young children, is exacerbated by limited access to preventive dental services for low-income children. To address this problem, North Carolina implemented a program to reimburse physicians for up to six preventive oral health visits for Medicaid-enrolled children younger than age three. Analysis of physician and dentist Medicaid claims from the period 2000-2006 shows that the program greatly increased preventive oral health services. By 2006 approximately 30 percent of well-child visits for children ages six months up to three years included these services. However, additional strategies are needed to ensure preventive oral health care for more low-income children.
Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
R Gary
RG
Rozier
Sally C
SC
Stearns
Bhavna T
BT
Pahel
Rocio B
RB
Quinonez
Jeongyoung
J
Park
D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D009657:North Carolina; D009909:Oral Health; D011203:Poverty; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D014481:United States