Kansas Dentist Shortage Most Acute for Medicaid Enrollees: Adventure Dental & Vision Expanding to Fill the Gap for Wichita Children
Wichita, KS (PRWEB) February 28, 2017 -- With just over 50 dentists per 100,000 residents, Kansas ranks 35th among U.S. states in access to dental care (1). In fact, 86 of the state’s 105 counties (2) have been declared Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas. Adventure Dental & Vision of Wichita is bringing additional resources to the state to help address the problem.
The state’s dentist shortage impacts rural residents and those enrolled in Medicaid disproportionately. Despite having some of the strictest Medicaid eligibility requirements in the nation, the percentage of Kansans enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP has grown by 12% since 2013 (3). In 2016, the state cut Medicaid dental reimbursement rates by 4% as part of an emergency budget-balancing measure. Even before the cut, Medicaid paid dentists about 40 cents on the dollar compared to comparable private dental insurance reimbursements (4). The latest measure has caused many Kansas providers to reduce the number of Medicaid-enrolled patients they are willing to accept, or in some cases, stop seeing Medicaid patients altogether.
Adventure Dental and Vision, with two Wichita locations at 1902 W. 21st Street and 980 S. Oliver Street, is focused on extending dental and vision care services to children in underserved communities. The company has built a support model to help dental providers more efficiently deliver services and manage administrative tasks in order to serve Medicaid enrolled patients despite the lower reimbursement rates.
While other providers in the state are forced to turn away Medicaid patients, Adventure Dental and Vision is expanding to be able to care for more Wichita children. This month two new dentists will be joining the Adventure team; Dr. Colin Reed and Dr. Amber Royal. Dr, Royal had this to say about her decision to come serve Wichita children,
“In Kansas, only 42 percent (5) of kids enrolled in Medicaid have had a dental check-up in the last 12 months, and access to quality care is a big part of the issue. I did my residency in Wichita and loved the sense of community I experienced here. I couldn’t wait to come back and help address the dentist shortage.”
Tooth decay is the number one chronic disease impacting children in the U.S. and lower-income children are more likely to be impacted. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 80% of dental caries in permanent teeth occur in just 25% of U.S. children (6). Untreated childhood dental issues can lead to pain, infection, tooth loss, missed school and more. These statistics are what prompted Dr. Reid to specialize in treating underserved children,
“Working with these kids and their parents is just fun. I can coach them on how to stay healthy and get to see them again and again. It’s just a different kind of satisfaction caring for kids who might otherwise not get care, you know you’re making a difference and the families are really grateful.”
See what local parents have to say about Adventure Dental & Vision.
About Adventure Dental & Vision
Adventure Dental & Vision is 100% focused on delivering quality care to children in underserved communities. With offices nationwide, Adventure has been helping children ages six months through 20 years gain access to the care they need since 2006. Their kid-friendly offices and caring staff take the fear out of dental visits, making it fun, easy and affordable for children to thrive.
To learn more visit: AdventureWichita.com
1 America’s Health Rankings 2016 Annual Report, United Health Foundation
2 Shortage/Underserved Areas Designations Kansas Department of Health and Environment,
3 Healthinsurance.org, Kansas Medicaid.
4 Rural Dental Networks Hit Hard by Kansas Medicaid Cuts, KCUR.org, December, 2016.
5 Children’s Use of Dental Care in Medicaid: Federal Fiscal Years 2000-2012, Milken Institute of Public Health, The George Washington University, October, 2014.
6 Keep Kids Smiling: Promoting Oral Health Through the Medicaid Benefit for Children and Adolescents, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, September, 2013.
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Janelle Shumaker, Adventure Dental and Vision, https://mydentalvisioncare.com, +1 719-323-2366, [email protected]
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