title: What are FQHCs and how do they affect dental services?
abstract: Federally Qualified Health Centers serve, on a "cost-to-provide-care basis," low-income and other patients who cannot use private pay facilities. This is a safety-net care system that is much more comprehensive and less expensive than emergency room visits. The existence of an FQHC in a community partially removes the pressure on fee-for-service providers to make arrangements for treating dentally disadvantaged individuals. Increases in federal spending for dental services have recently outpaced declines in out-of-pocket private pay spending and sluggish improvements in insurance coverage.
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silvestri
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003363:Cost Control; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics; D005380:Financing, Government; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D011203:Poverty; D011320:Primary Health Care; D064876:Safety-net Providers / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States; D014488:United States Health Resources and Services Administration; D035862:Vulnerable Populations