Oral Health

Oral Health

Cavities and other oral health problems are widespread among California children, and access to care is limited, particularly for uninsured children and those with public insurance. If left untreated, cavities can escalate into more serious, costly medical problems and cause unnecessary pain.
Emerging research shows that expectant mothers' oral health impacts their children's health both at birth and later in life. Dentists now recommend that expectant mothers should include a dental exam as part of their prenatal care routine, and parents are advised to take their children to the dentist before they turn two.
While policymakers and the general public understand the vital role of medical health care for children's well-being, they are less informed on the importance of oral health care. As a result, many current practices and policies tend to treat oral health care as an "extra benefit" rather than an integral element of basic health care. Children Now envisions a California in which children's oral health is a statewide priority and all children receive timely, appropriate and affordable oral health care.
Learn More about Oral HealthFacts & Figures Policy Recommendations
Fact & Figures Almost half of California counties report a shortage of dentists.
One in five children in California did not visit a dentist in the last year.
More than half a million California children, ages 5-18, missed school in the last year due to dental problems.
About 70% of children in households earning less than 200% of the FPL ($41,300 per year for a family of four) have dental insurance, compared to about 85% of children in higher income families.
Pregnant women with poor oral health are seven times more likely to have a premature and/or low birthweight delivery.
About 67% of all pregnant women do not visit the dentist, and 80% of publicly-insured expectant mothers do not receive oral health care.
Policy Recommendations Improve Denti-Cal by increasing provider reimbursement rates and other program enhancements, and streamlining paperwork.
Ensure that every California child has access to affordable dental care by:
Increasing access to pediatric dental providers, such as through loan forgiveness programs to providers in low-income communities and by expanding the abilities of various dental health professionals, especially those in the underserved areas of the state.
Increasing children's access to dental screenings in nontraditional settings, such as school health centers and child care and preschool centers, with referrals to appropriate follow-up care.
Support public health strategies, such as water fluoridation, easy-to-use fluoride varnish preventive treatments and dental health education for children and parents.