New Report: Lower-Income Families Spend Seven Times More on Dental Care Than Wealthier Families

A New CareQuest Institute Report Reveals Deep, Income-Based Health Disparities

Revealing deep health disparities based on income, a new CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® report shows that poorer families paid 7.4 times more in out-of-pocket expenditures for dental care compared to high-income families between 2007 and 2021. At the same time, families living in poverty and those with lower incomes were less likely to have visited a dentist in the past year compared to families with higher incomes in the US.

The new report, “Lower-Income Families Still Spend More on Dental Care,” shows that between 2007 and 2021, the most recent data available, inequities in out-of-pocket expenditures between the poorest and wealthiest families in the US have continued to grow. In 2007, the poorest families paid 5.5 times more.

“As these inequities continue to widen, we need solutions to make dental coverage and care more accessible and affordable for low-income families,” said CareQuest Institute CEO and President Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, MBA. “While we’ve seen some progress in recent years, policymakers need to do more to fully address these disparities, including expanding Medicaid adult dental coverage.”

The report recommends comprehensive Medicaid adult dental benefits in all states, increased dental provider participation in Medicaid, and support for safety-net providers serving low-income patients as solutions to make dental coverage and care more accessible and affordable for low-income families. Incentivizing oral health providers to practice in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas can also help improve access to affordable oral health care in these geographies.

Read the full report.

About CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® is a national nonprofit championing a more equitable future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. We do this through our work in philanthropy, analytics and data insights, health transformation, policy and advocacy, and education as well as our leadership in dental benefits and innovation advancements. We collaborate with thought leaders, health care providers, patients, and local, state, and federal stakeholders, to accelerate oral health care transformation and create a system designed for everyone. To learn more, visit carequest.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

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