Blue Review
A Medicaid Provider Newsletter

April 2018

Improving Disparities in Oral Health

Although the term disparity is often interpreted to mean racial or ethnic differences, or inconsistencies in the way health care is delivered, there are many other dimensions of disparity that exist in the U.S., particularly in health care. Race or ethnicity, gender, age, disability, socioeconomic status and geographic location all contribute to an individual’s ability to achieve optimal health. It is important to identify the impact that social elements have on health outcomes of specific populations. As a health care provider, we know you strive to improve the health and outcomes of all groups.

Since an oral health assessment is one aspect of the Texas Health Steps (THS) exam for children up to age 21 on Medicaid, some of the oral health disparities that exist, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are listed below. Being aware of these disparities and your patients’ needs can help you provide patient-centric, thorough care.

  • Overall Dental Health. Blacks, Hispanics, Alaska Natives and American Indians generally have the poorest oral health of any U.S. racial or ethnic group.
  • Children and Tooth Decay. The greatest racial and ethnic disparity among children ages 2 to 8 years is seen in Mexican-American and black children.
  • Adults and Untreated Tooth Decay. Blacks and Mexican-Americans ages 35 to 44 years experience untreated tooth decay nearly twice as much as white, non-Hispanics.
  • Adults and Oral Cancer. The five-year survival rate is lower for oral pharyngeal (throat) cancers among black men than whites (36 percent versus 61 percent).
  • Adults and Periodontitis. 47 percent of U.S. adults have some form of periodontal disease, with 70 percent of those ages 65 and older having periodontal disease.

One of the goals of Healthy People 2020 is to eliminate oral health disparities. As a provider of services to children on Medicaid, you can contribute to the elimination by following the THS periodicity schedule. Try to incorporate all necessary components into your practice (like dental referrals), and educate all patients on the importance of daily dental hygiene.