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Provider-Reported Barriers to Dental Care for Adult Medicaid Patients in Rural Southern Vermont
Kobsa, Jessica Baker, Maxwell B. Jack, Dolak Jordan, Hacker Kiersten, Lockwood Jesus, Mendoza Arden, Porter
Kobsa, Jessica
Baker, Maxwell B.
Jack, Dolak
Jordan, Hacker
Kiersten, Lockwood
Jesus, Mendoza
Arden, Porter
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Abstract
Background: Adult Vermonters receiving Medicaid face significant barriers to receiving dental care. In 2017, only 22% of Medicaid-enrolled adults in Springfield received any dental services, far below the Healthy Vermonters goal of 85%. Community agencies report a scarcity of dental practices accepting Medicaid and among those that do, limited capacity to accept new patients. This project investigated factors that affect the capacity of dental practices in Windham and Windsor Counties to treat adult Medicaid patients.
Methods: We electronically distributed a 17-question survey to 21 general dentistry practices in Windsor and Windham Counties. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with a dental hygienist and a retired dentist.
Results: We received 15 survey responses from 8 unique known dental practices and 3 anonymous responses. Respondents included dentists, dental assistants, office staff, hygienists, and patient care coordinators. Respondents perceived that adult Medicaid patients face significant barriers to dental care including difficulties with transportation and affording their recommended treatment. Regarding factors that affect how many adult Medicaid patients a practice treats, 9 (60%) respondents reported the reimbursement rate of Medicaid was extremely important. 10 (66%) respondents said staffing shortages were somewhat or extremely important.
Conclusion: Medicaid patients face barriers to dental care including challenges with transportation and affording recommended treatment. Medicaid’s low reimbursement rate and dental practice staffing shortages limit practices’ capacity to treat Medicaid patients. This suggests that increasing Medicaid’s reimbursement rates for dental services is unlikely to improve access to dental care for Medicaid patients without parallel efforts to strengthen the dental workforce and address transportation barriers.
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2026-01-28
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Valley Health Connections in Springfield, VT
Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (SVTAHEC)
Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (SVTAHEC)