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 – National Averages
Annual Dental Visit (Total Rate)
| Measure Year | Medicaid HMO |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 47.3 |
| 2020 | 42.8 |
| 2019 | 55.5 |
| 2018 | 55.9 |
| 2017 | 54.2 |
| 2016 | 52.7 |
| 2015 | 48.3 |
| 2014 | 48.7 |
| 2013 | 49.0 |
This State of Healthcare Quality Report classifies health plans differently than NCQA’s Quality Compass. HMO corresponds to All LOBs (excluding PPO and EPO) within Quality Compass. PPO corresponds to PPO and EPO within Quality Compass.
Figures do not account for changes in the underlying measure that could break trending. Contact Information Products via my.ncqa.org for analysis that accounts for trend breaks.
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.”