Dental Access among Children in Medicaid Is Well Care or Ambulatory Service Utilization a Predictor of Preventive or Diagnostic Dental Service Utilization
06/15/2015
Hilltop staff made several presentations at the 2015 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting (ARM) held June 13 through June 15 in Minneapolis. Policy Analyst Carl Mueller, MS, presented this poster at an ARM poster session on June 15.
This study examined whether an association exists between utilization of well or ambulatory medical and preventive or diagnostic dental services for children aged 2 to 18 years in Maryland Medicaid. We found that children receiving a well or ambulatory care visit had three times the odds of receiving a preventive or diagnostic dental service. This association provides a rationale for the use of mandates and/or incentives to encourage physicians to further promote oral health.