Access to Dental Care

While it is important for most everyone to go to the dentist at least twice a year, access to dental services is especially essential for women. Dental issues can sometimes arise from benign hormone changes in the body during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause. Even hormonal birth control can play a role in dental health, as shifting levels of progesterone and estrogen may lead to gum swelling and sensitivity.

While dental hygiene might seem like a lower priority when considering other health-related needs, gum disease is strongly correlated with heart disease and diabetes, and excessive tooth loss is connected to coronary artery disease. These issues are exacerbated during pregnancy when women are more likely to experience gum disease. These correlations are especially important in Oklahoma where 12.8% of the adult population has diabetes and 1 in 4 deaths is related to heart disease.  

Employers may offer dental health insurance as an opt-in program, requiring employees to pay an additional fee for coverage. Dental plans are available through the Insurance Marketplace, but they are most often offered as a separate expense. Access is limited by the perception that dental care is secondary to bodily health care. 

The limitations of dental insurance pose a significant barrier to access, as dental care is highly expensive. Moreover, dental coverage caps are notably low when compared with the actual expenses of comprehensive dental care.

Medicaid (called SoonerCare in Oklahoma) includes dental coverage, but providers who accept it are more limited.

SoonerCare provides coverage for dental needs, including during the expanded postpartum coverage period, however, Oklahomans can still find it difficult to find a dental provider that accepts the coverage. SoonerCare’s recently expanded services allow qualifying postpartum women to access and remain on Medicaid for one year after giving birth. 

Oklahoma has a dental provider ratio of  59.1 per 100,000 people. The national average is  65.8, and Oklahoma ranks  33rd of the 50 states for dental care provision. As with all healthcare, dental providers are densest around the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas.  Rural areas face the most barriers to care (See Access to Care in Rural Areas). Dental access for rural Oklahomans follows the pattern of other specialists, which are few and far between in more remote areas.