Pew urges U.S. Congress to fund dental programs

Apr 27, 2010

The Pew Center on the States is urging U.S. congressional leaders to fund dental care measures in the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee held its first hearings on the Department of Health and Human Services budget, which would fund grants to states for oral-care-specific programs, including school-based dental sealant programs and demonstration projects with new dental providers.

"With federal funding to back these measures and smart state efforts to implement them, millions of children would gain better access to proper dental care," said Shelly Gehshan, director of the Pew Children's Dental Campaign, in written testimony to House and Senate appropriations health subcommittees. "These proven policies can help eliminate the pain, missed school hours, and long-term health and economic consequences of untreated dental disease."

School-based programs are an effective strategy to offer sealants to disadvantaged children, but a recent Pew analysis found that only 17 states reach 25% or more of targeted high-risk schools.

By funding the demonstration grants authorized by the new health reform law, Gehshan noted, Congress will enable states to test new workforce models to expand access. This is critical because 17 million low-income, Medicaid-eligible children go without a dental visit each year, largely due to a lack of dentists who will treat them. Pew is conducting research on the economic benefits of new providers and working to help states develop these models.

"The new healthcare reform law expands insurance coverage, and that's what makes these grants to states so critical," Gehshan continued. "More dental coverage will encourage more demand, so federal support for innovative workforce models will help spur states to improve access and efficiency."

Pew also recommended significant federal investments for fiscal year 2011, including transfer of a portion of the newly created Prevention and Public Health Fund to expand these oral health programs to all 50 states.