Children Lack Access to Dental Care, A Key Preventive Service

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CostCoverageEconomic ImpactsInnovationPolicy ImplementationPrevention & WellnessVulnerable Populations

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Congressional Actions and Reports

The Pew Charitable Trusts has released a report entitled Two Kinds of Dental Shortages Fuel One Major Access Problem. The report underlines the lack of access children have to basic, preventive, dental care. The report estimates that 17 million children in the United States go without basic dental care annually. Utilizing a dentist can be difficult for individuals and families that live in areas without a dentist or who struggle to find dentists that accept Medicaid patients. Dental care is a key preventive service that decreases a child’s absenteeism from school and benefits a child’s overall health.

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