More than 385,000 children insured by Apple Health for Kids are not receiving any kind of dental care, including emergency visits. Similarly, nearly 3 in 10 children with private dental coverage in Washington did not receive any dental care in 2013.
Fact Sheet: Oral Health Matters
Good oral health is important at every age, and tooth decay and other oral diseases are preventable through a combination of fluoride, dental sealants, and access to affordable, regular dental care. Read our fact sheet.
Dental Therapists are Right for Washington
Answers to five common questions about dental therapists, along with findings from dental therapists' work extending care in Minnesota.
Every five years, the Washington State Smile Survey looks at the oral health of preschoolers, second and third graders. The 2010 survey found that low-income children and kids of color have tooth decay at significantly higher rates than the statewide average.
Oral Disease Burden Document 2007
The state Department of Health’s fact sheet on oral health in Washington state.
Washington state’s Oral Health Workforce study
The University of Washington School of Medicine authored a report in 2009 on potential workforce solutions to the growing problem of oral disease.
Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations
This Institute of Medicine report provides a roadmap for the important and necessary next steps to improve access to oral health care, reduce oral health disparities, and improve the oral health of the nation’s vulnerable and underserved populations.
A Review of the Global Literature on Dental Therapists
This review of more than 1,100 documents on dental care provided all over the world found that mid-level providers are safely expanding access to care, especially for children.
Children’s Dental Health Project
Get the latest on the oral health components of the Affordable Care Act from the Children’s Dental Health Project.
Dental Crisis in America: the Need to Expand Access
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders released this report showing a nationwide problem with oral health care access. Sanders has sponsored a bill aimed at expanding coverage, creating new access points, enhancing the workforce, improving education, and funding new research.