Working toward oral health equity

For roughly 1 billion people in the world with a disability, obtaining oral health care is not always a seamless process. Additional insurance coverage needs, communication difficulties, anxiety or difficulty getting to and from the dentist get in the way of accessing dental care.

In order to better serve people with special health care needs Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana and the Delta Dental Foundation created the enhanced dental benefit for children and adults with all types of special health care needs. Starting in January 2022, Delta Dental groups can opt in to this benefit.

According to a 2020 study from the International Journal of Dentistry, “Barriers in Access to Dental Services Hindering the Treatment of People with Disabilities: A Systematic Review,” people with disabilities are already at a higher risk for periodontal disease than those without. Furthermore, the study points out that it can be challenging for dentists to care for the oral cavity due to a patient’s motor difficulties or structural challenges.

Other risks for people with an intellectual and developmental disability include higher rates of cavities left untreated, decaying teeth, gum disease and an increased likelihood of developing heart disease and diabetes, according to Project Accessible Oral Health.

“Delta Dental has listened to the pleas of families and caregivers in trying to reduce barriers to care for this most medically and dentally underserved population,” said Dr. Steven Perlman, global clinical director and founder of Special Olympics Special Smiles. “Access to and the ability to receive quality oral health care is the number one problem faced by children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.”