Children's Dental Health: Massachusetts

Massachusetts fulfills six of the eight policy benchmarks aimed at addressing children's dental health needs. The increase can be attributed to sealant programs now reaching more than one-quarter of high-risk schools. Additionally, a new law allows hygienists in school-based programs to place sealants on children's teeth without a dentist's prior exam.

In early 2011, the U.S. District Court ended five years of oversight of Massachusetts' Medicaid program, citing improvements that the state has made.¹ The court recognized that in 2009, over half of the state's Medicaid-enrolled children received a dental service. However, in 2010, fiscal pressures prompted the state to eliminate most adult dental coverage.² Research shows that when parents who go without care, their children are also less likely to see a dentist.³

1. K. Lazar, “Court bows out of dental program for low-income children,” Boston Globe (February 3, 2011). http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2011/02/court_bows_out.html (accessed February 15, 2011).

2. MassHealth Fact Sheet – FY11 H.2, “Adult Dental Coverage Restructuring,” http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/masshealth/research/fy11h2-dental-factsheet.pdf (accessed December 10, 2010).

3. “Children More Likely to Visit the Dentist If Their Parents Do, Too,” ScienceDaily, (February 16. 2010). http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100201091634.htm (accessed April 2011).