The availability of dental care for adults affects the oral and overall health of children.
Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease, yet it is largely preventable. It is five times more common than asthma. Tooth decay affects more than one-fourth of U.S. children aged 2 to 5 years and half of those aged 12 to 15 years. About half of all children and two-thirds of children aged 12 to 19 years from low-income families have had decay. A study of Medicaid families showed that when parents don’t make at least one visit a year to the dentist, their children are 13 times less likely to visit a dentist that same year.
Reinstating the Medicaid adult dental benefit is the fiscally and morally responsible choice. Please take action TODAY to support reinstatement of the Medicaid adult dental benefit – click here to contact your state legislators. Collectively we CAN make a difference.
