Update on Children's Dental Health in America

Small Smiles continues to monitor the trends in dental care for children from low-income families.

From November 16- 18, a national online poll surveyed 210 parents of young children in households with annual incomes of $35,000 or less. The survey found that the number of parents who reported that their children lacked health insurance increased from 16 to 19 percent. Additionally, the percentage of parents who indicated a reliance on Medicaid and CHIP for dental care increased from 40 to 53 percent. Both of these indicators showed an increase from May when the first survey was taken.

However, there were positive signs that although more parents are relying on assistance during tough economic times, they are not sacrificing their children’s dental care – instead they are seeking out solutions for care, such as Small Smiles dental centers. Some encouraging signs from the survey include:

• The percentage indicating having to choose between dental care and other necessities for their children decreased from 44 to 38 percent.
• The number of parents who said their child visits a dentist less than once each year decreased from 74 to 36 percent.
• A smaller majority – 70 percent, down from 86 percent – said they have trouble finding a dentist to treat their children.

Dentistry IQ: Recession affects dental care for youth from low-income families

In a new article featured in Dentistry IQ titled "Recession affects dental care for youth from low-income families", Dr. Steve Adair discusses the results of a recent survey which demonstrate that the recession is having a significant impact on dental care for many kids across the country.

The article states:

The national online poll surveyed 210 parents of young children in households with annual incomes of $35,000 or less. It revealed that one in five (20%) take their children to the dentist less than once a year, well below the American Dental Association’s recommendation of two annual check-ups. About 16% said their children are not insured, and more than 40% said their family receives government health assistance from programs, such as Medicaid and CHIP. Approximately 18% said they have trouble locating a dentist who will treat their children, a finding that reflects a national problem, Dr. Adair said.

“The numbers in the survey are not surprising given the overall challenge the nation faces with regard to dental care for low-income children,” [Dr. Adair] said. “The information reinforces what many of us suspected about the impact of the economy.

Adair goes on to say, "Through events such as health fairs and free dental screenings at schools and day care centers, Small Smiles helps spread the message about the need for establishing an oral health routine to their community,” he continued. “As a profession, we can do a better job educating parents and children of all socioeconomic levels about the importance of good oral health and their options for receiving the dental care that they need.”

To read the Dentistry IQ article, please click here.

To read more about the survey conducted, please click here.

Survey: Recession Endangering Dental Health of American Children

A recent survey of low-income parents has found that financial stress caused by the economic recession is forcing many families to choose between basic necessities such as food, transportation and housing, and routine dental care for their children – exacerbating an epidemic of poor dental health among children from underserved communities.

“There is an overwhelming need for dental care for economically-disadvantaged children across the country,” said Dr. Steven Adair, a faculty member of the Medical College of Georgia.