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New national research finds broad, bipartisan support for dental coverage and strong voter interest in making oral health a policy priority.
CareQuest Institute partnered with Marketing for Change in July–August 2026 to conduct voter research examining how oral health policies continue to resonate with voters in the current political landscape. Key findings include:
- 98% of Democrats and 86% of Republicans “like” or “love” expanding Medicare to include oral health coverage for older or disabled Americans.
- 96% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans “like” or “love” expanding VA dental coverage to ensure all veterans qualify for dental services.
- 95% of Democrats and 80% of Republicans “like” or “love” incentivizing dentists to accept all types of insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare.
Voters largely believe that workers have paid into Medicare throughout their adult lives, and it is only fair that Medicare covers dental care.”
You may also be interested in:
- The Need for Medicare Dental Coverage, a fact sheet highlighting the health risks and economic consequences of Medicare’s limited dental coverage.
- It’s Time to Give All Veterans a Good Reason to Smile, a visual report exploring the unmet oral health needs of veterans, who are two times more likely than nonveterans to seek dental care at a hospital emergency department.
- Oral Health in Individuals with Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, a comprehensive report finding that individuals with disabilities experience more episodic, invasive dental care rather than routine prevention and early intervention.