Kids on Medicaid Not Getting Dental Care

Medicaid is supposed to help families take care of medical and dental needs, and this is especially important for children.  A recent study by the United States government revealed that millions of poor children on Medicaid are not getting the dental treatment they need because they cannot find dentists willing to accept Medicaid as payment.

This leaves many children in a very vulnerable state.  The findings, released by the Government Accountability Office stated that millions of poor children between the ages of 2 and 18 have untreated dental decay and disease because they cannot get the needed treatment.

It might not sound like a huge issue to have a cavity that doesn’t get taken care of, but think about whether you have ever had a toothache that grew worse and worse over a weekend.  When you went to the dentist you discovered that you had a cavity that, if it had been addressed sooner, could have been filled.  The dentist feels that you now need a root canal or other serious procedure because the cavity has destroyed too much of your tooth and that is what is causing your pain.

Now think about a child or young adult who has not one but 5 or 10 of these festering in their mouth.  They are in pain.  They probably are not able to eat right.  Perhaps they cannot concentrate – especially in school – because of the pain and headaches due to the dental problems.

If they –or their parents – are conscientious about brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash, they may avoid infection.  If not, like 12 year old Deamonte Driver, even though they try to do everything to keep the condition under control, they are unable to.  In Deamonte’s case, he ended up with a serious tooth infection that led to a brain infection and he died.

Deamonte had Medicaid coverage.  He had a simple cavity.  His mother tried to find a dentist – any dentist – that would help him and treat the condition while it was a simple situation and no dentist would do so because they would not accept Medicaid as payment.  Because of a few more dollars, 12 year old Deamonte is dead. 

Only 1 out of 3 children on Medicaid are receiving dental care, mainly because nobody will provide it.  It is essential that while lawmakers are looking at a Medicare fix, they look at Medicaid, as well.  It is also essential that practitioners, schools, lawmakers and Medicaid work together to fix this problem.  2 out of 3 children on Medicaid that cannot find dental care should not remain vulnerable to the unconscionable outcome that Deamonte Driver and his family suffered.

Filed under: General-Medicare

Tags: cavities, dental care, dental treatment, General-Medicare, medicaid, Medicaid Payments