Washington, D.C., Expands Dental Care To Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries

Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty and City Council member David Cantania on Wednesday announced that dental benefits would be expanded to include all adult Medicaid beneficiaries in the district, the Washington Post reports. As of 2004, 27.8% of adults in the district had not visited the dentist or a dental clinic within the past year, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's statehealthfacts.

The D.C. City Council in April approved the expansion of dental services for children covered under Medicaid. Under the new plan, adult Medicaid beneficiaries will be eligible for two general dental examinations and routine maintenance cleanings annually, including fillings, surgical services and X-rays. About 60,000 adults in the district will be eligible for the expanded coverage.

The program will be funded with $13 million earmarked for Medicaid services in the district's fiscal year 2007 budget and $15 million in the FY 2008 budget, according to Cantania. Cantania said the plan was a "wise investment," adding, "This is not only a life-saving but a cost-saving measure." Fenty said, "I don't think most residents are aware of the extent of problems that can arise from not having oral health coverage" (Clark, Washington Post, 6/14).

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