Dental
3.8 million Virginians have no dental insurance. Most have nowhere to turn.
Because they can’t afford care, most simply go without. They suffer chronic pain, struggle to swallow or speak, and risk systemic infections and tooth loss. For some, the pain is so severe it interferes with their ability to work, to live a normal life, to smile.
While there are some ”safety net” dentists providing care for low-income and uninsured adults, they are inundated with patients. And far too many Virginia communities have no dental safety net at all. In some rural areas, there are as few as one dentist for every 5000+ individuals.
- 62 Virginia localities have no dental safety net provider.
- Of the 73 Virginia localities that do have a community dental provider, in many cases care is only offered on a part-time basis.
- 41% of Virginia localities are designated Dental Professional Shortage Areas.
Although the need for dental care for adults is particularly acute, children also face obstacles obtaining care. FAMIS state-sponsored children’s health insurance covers dental care, but Virginia still suffers from a significant shortage of pediatric dentists.
How VHCF is helping
The Virginia Health Care Foundation is working on many levels to help Virginians receive the dental care they need:
Grants: VHCF dental grants totaling nearly $6 million have helped establish or expand 36 dental safety net sites statewide — nearly half of all the community-based dental sites state-wide. From providing funding for dental equipment to helping underwrite the salaries of dentists or hygienists, VHCF is committed to bringing dental care to those most in need.
Discounts: VHCF’s partnership with Patterson Dental-Richmond enables providers serving the uninsured to receive a substantial discount on dental equipment and supplies, maintenance and repair and dental practice management software.
Help: The VHCF directory of dental safety net providers is the only comprehensive resource available to help Virginians find local dental safety net providers.
Resources: VHCF’s Dental Opportunities Coordinator (funded by a generous grant from Delta Dental of Virginia) helps Virginia’s dental safety net providers address some of the challenges and concerns related to providing dental care to at risk Virginians. The VHCF website also hosts a wealth of resources for dental safety net providers – from how to start-up a dental clinic to how to handle no-shows.
Best Practices: VHCF’s Tooth Talk gives dental providers an opportunity to share best practices and brainstorm about effective ways to grow and strengthen the dental safety net in Virginia.
Policy: VHCF, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, the Virginia Dental Association and Virginia Oral Health Coalition, has effected significant policy change to improve access to dental care for children in Virginia.
Through these and other programs and initiatives, VHCF is helping address the critical need of providing primary dental care to Virginia’s uninsured and underserved.
