Oral health is key to overall health. Improved access to oral health care presents a wide range of benefits, from improving individual health to addressing racial disparities to supporting the economy.
Even though dental care is vital, access to dental care remains an urgent and often out-of-reach need for Nebraskans with Medicaid coverage.
- Sierra, a mother of three, describes it this way: “At 19, my provider refused services and said they stopped taking Medicaid. I had to wait 10 years for oral care.”
- Prior to having Medicaid, Felicia’s only access to healthcare was through free clinics. Even with Medicaid coverage, dental care still remains difficult to obtain. Despite needing a regular checkup, she has not been to the dentist in many years. She has been trying to obtain an appointment with a dentist who accepts Medicaid since the beginning of the year, but has been unable to book an appointment because many offices are booked out for months in advance.
- Read more Nebraskans’ stories about access to health care here.
Check out our updated 2025 Medicaid Dental Snapshot to learn more about changes, challenges, and opportunities in dental access policy. And find even more information in our 2023 Oral Health Update and 2022 Dental Policy Brief.
Do you have a story about access to dental care? Contact us! https://neappleseed.org/healthcare