Strengthening State Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits: Five Success Stories

These case studies explore the policy journey of five states to strengthen their Medicaid adult dental benefits — from emergency-only to comprehensive benefits — including their challenges, strategies, and successes.

Each case study includes key lessons that advocates can use to strengthen access to oral health care for low-income families, people with disabilities, and residents of rural communities in their own states.

Key Insights

• Data-driven talking points about cost savings and workforce productivity resonate across party lines.
• Building diverse coalitions provides credibility and reinforces the connection between oral health and overall well-being.
• Starting with high-need populations, like adults with disabilities, demonstrates feasibility and can help build momentum.
• Provider buy-in is essential to build network capacity.

• Medicaid Adult Dental Coverage Checker, an interactive tool that shows where a state’s Medicaid adult dental benefits package falls from no dental benefits to extensive benefits, helping policymakers identify areas for improvement.
• The Need for Medicaid Adult Dental Coverage Across All States, a fact sheet outlining the health risks and economic consequences of Medicaid’s varying adult dental benefits across states.
• Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits Offered to Specific Beneficiary Groups, a report detailing the 21 states that offer additional dental coverage to adults who are pregnant, have developmental disabilities, or utilize long-term care.