Less Than Half Of California’s Child Medicaid Beneficiaries Visited A Dentist In 2022

Despite having a goal that 60% of California’s child Medi-Cal (the state’s Medicaid program) beneficiaries have an annual dental visit (including preventive care), in 2022, only 47.6% actually visited a dentist. The 60% goal was set in 2021 when only 44.5% of child beneficiaries had an annual dental visit. In 2016, only 37.8% had a preventive annual dental checkup.

About 93% of child Medicaid beneficiaries receive dental coverage through the fee-for-service program (FFS). In three counties: Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Mateo, child beneficiaries receive dental care through a dental managed care . . .