title: The relationship between altruistic attitudes and dentists' Medicaid participation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors investigated the role of private practitioners in the dental safety net, including the provision of care for Medicaid enrollees and attitudinal factors that affect participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2013, the authors sent a mixed-mode survey to all general dentists in Iowa assessing their current Medicaid participation and factors affecting participation, including attitudinal statements about altruism, the Medicaid program, and the government's role in providing access to dental care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-six percent of responding dentists accepted new Medicaid-enrolled patients; dentists living in nonmetropolitan areas were significantly more likely to accept Medicaid than were those in metropolitan areas. Results from a logistic regression model demonstrated that participating dentists scored significantly higher in altruistic attitudes and perceived problems with Medicaid as less important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dentists who accepted Medicaid-enrolled patients had significantly more positive attitudes about Medicaid administration and altruistic attitudes in general. Investigators in future studies should examine how these attitudes are shaped by educational and professional experiences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dentists' perceptions about Medicaid potentially are modifiable by changing program policies in ways to improve access for vulnerable populations, including new Medicaid enrollees.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: McKernan
authors.forename: Julie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Elizabeth T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Momany
authors.forename: Raymond A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kuthy
authors.forename: Elham T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Kateeb
authors.forename: Nancy B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Adrianse
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Damiano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011215:Practice Management, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: Access to care; Affordable Care Act; Medicaid; social responsibility