02 February 2023

---

The effects of Medicaid expansions on dental services at federally qualified health centers

---

Background

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) have become safety-net providers of dental services for low-income patients. The authors examined the effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions, according to level of dental benefits, on the number of visits for dental services at FQHCs.

Methods

The authors used publicly available facility-level data on 1,400 FQHCs across the U.S. from 2011 through 2019. Researchers examined the effects of expanding Medicaid in 2014, according to the level of dental benefits, compared with states that did not expand Medicaid programs. Outcomes included the number of dental visits for any dental service and separately for preventive and other services. Regression models adjusted for the demographic characteristics of the FQHC's patient population, county-level factors, and center and year fixed effects.

Results

Expanding Medicaid with extensive dental benefits has increased the number of dental visits provided at FQHCs compared with FQHCs in states that did not expand Medicaid programs. There was an increase in visits for both preventive and other dental services. In contrast, there was no evidence of such an increase from expanding Medicaid with limited or emergency-only dental benefits.

Conclusions

Expanding Medicaid eligibility with extensive dental benefits has increased the number of dental visits at FQHCs, including for both preventive and other dental services.

Practical Implications

As safety-net providers, FQHCs might be able to provide more oral health care for low-income patients after Medicaid expansions that offer extensive dental benefits.

Wei Lyu and George L. Wehby. “The effects of Medicaid expansions on dental services at federally qualified health centers.” JADA. January 10, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2022.11.005