The oral health workforce remains unable to address the unmet need among populations across the state. Children have high levels of dental decay, nearly 60% among 3rd graders. More than 38% of all adults in Washington have had teeth removed due to decay or gum disease and 20% have lost all of their teeth. The need for oral health care will continue to increase as the state’s population grows and ages.
What the Legislature can do:
- As the Legislature considers workforce issues, ensure that it is clear how any proposals improve access to care for underserved populations.
- Sustain the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry Program (ABCD), which attracts many dentists to serve low-income children and participate in the Medicaid dental program.
Resources:
Information about Washington’s Oral Health Workforce
Washington – Federally Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas for Dental Care -Map
Washington State Department of Health. (March 2015)
Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce – Report. Center for Health Workforce Studies. (November 2009).
Oral Health in Washington – Power Point.
Arcora Foundation. (September 2012).
Policy Briefs and Reports
The Foundation is acting to provide available resources on issues that deal with workforce. The Foundation is not taking a position on any workforce proposals.
Expanding the Dental Team: Increasing Access to Care in Public Settings (June 2014). The Pew Charitable Trusts
Expanding the Dental Team: Studies of Two Private Practices (February 2014). The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Economic Viability of Dental Therapists (May 2013) Community Catalyst.
White Paper: Expanding the Dental Safety Net (July 2012) The Pew Charitable Trusts.
New Oral Health Careers: It’s Not Just About the Training(February 2012) Ruth Ballweg MPA.
Two Kinds of Dental Shortage Fuel One Major Access Problem. (February 2011). The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Collaborative Practice in American Dentistry: Practice and Potential (January 2011) Center for the Health Professions at the University of San Francisco California.
It Takes a Team: How New Dental Providers Can Benefit Patients and Practices. (December 2010) The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Help Wanted: A Policy Maker’s Guide to New Dental Providers. (May 2009) The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Evaluation of the Dental Health Aide Therapist Workforce Model in Alaska
(October 2010) RTI International.
Training New Dental Health Providers in the U.S. (December 2009) W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Oral Health Efforts Under Way to Improve Children’s Access to Dental Services, but Sustained Attention Needed to Address Ongoing Concerns
(November 2010) U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Videos
Oral Health Watch
2d
Happy 56th birthday #Medicaid and #Medicare. Washington state is fortunate that its Medicaid program, Apple Health, provides dental coverage for both children and adults. But it's not necessarily the same situation for adults in other parts of the US. It's time for national #Medicaid and ...#Medicare policy to recognize that oral health IS health and dental coverage IS health coverage. #Medicaid56 #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
2d
Happy 56th birthday #Medicaid and #Medicare. Washington state is fortunate that its Medicaid program, Apple Health, provides dental coverage for both children and adults. But it's not necessarily the same situation for adults in other parts of the US. It's time for #Medicare and #Medicaid... policy to recognize that oral health IS health and dental coverage IS health coverage. #Medicaid56 #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
2d
Happy birthday #Medicaid & #Medicare. While Medicaid requires dental coverage for kids, it's not the case for adults. It's time for #Medicare & #Medicaid policy to recognize that oral health IS health & dental coverage IS health coverage. #Medicaid56 #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
3d
#DYK that #Medicaid provides comprehensive coverage and financial protection for millions of Americans, most of whom are working families, including 2,073,104 children and adults in Washington state? #Medicaid56 #UniteForHealthCare #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
3d
July 30th marks the 56th anniversary of #Medicare and #Medicaid. Since 1965, Medicaid has helped lower-income families & working adults throughout the US access vital oral health and medical care. #teethmatter #Medicaid56 #UniteForHealthCare
Oral Health Watch
3d
WA state #Medicaid includes dental coverage for both children & adults. But that's not the case in all states. Why is that when we know the untreated oral disease can have devastating impacts on health, employability & quality of life? #UniteForHealthCare ...https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/access-to-dental-care-in-medicaid-spotlight-on-nonelderly-adults/