Assesses Medicaid members 2 – 20 years of age with dental benefits, who had at least one dental visit during the year.
Why It Matters
Dental caries (cavities) is one of the most common, preventable childhood diseases.1 Regular dental visits provide access to cleaning, early diagnosis, treatment and education about caring for teeth to prevent problems.
Approximately 25% of our nation’s children have multiple cavities. Tooth decay is a major cause of tooth loss in children.2 Oral health is essential to overall health. Dental diseases have negative effect on quality of life in childhood and in older age.3 Annual dental visits and oral care throughout childhood and adolescence can significantly reduce the risks of developing oral disease.4
Results
Annual Dental Visit (Total Rate)
| Year | Medicaid HMO |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 55.9 |
References
- US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General. 2000. “Oral health in America; A report of the Surgeon General.”Rockville, MD. National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. 33-59.
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. 2013.”Fast facts.” http://www.aapd.org/assets/1/7/FastFacts.pdf#xml
- “Dental Diseases and Organ Health Factsheet, 2003.” http://www.who.int/oral_health/publications/en/orh_fact_sheet.pdf
- CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. “Trends in Oral Health Status: United States 1988-1994 and 1999-2004.”