(The Center Square) – Low-income children in nine Ohio counties could soon get access to taxpayer-funded dental care.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced a $6 million pilot program in his proposed state budget that targets dental care in Clinton, Crawford, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Monroe, Noble, Paulding and Washington counties, a group the state has designated as Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas.
“Poor dental health can make it hard for a child to eat, sleep, or even talk – let alone learn,” DeWine said recently during his State of the State address. “It’s clear that many Ohio children have untreated, serious dental problems that follow them into adulthood. We must step up for these children.”
If approved by both the House and Senate, the pilot program would bring together health care providers, school districts and other organizations to provide screenings, preventative care and treatment in the nine counties.
The Ohio Department of Health predicts the program could provide services for as many as 12,000 children in the nine counties.
“Unlike vision screenings, Ohio does not require dental screenings in schools, and too many of our children are not receiving this essential care,” said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Ohio Department of Health director. “Untreated oral health conditions can lead to more serious health issues and even costly emergency department visits. This program will help improve our children’s health in some of the most underserved areas of the state.”
According to DeWine, in 2023, nearly two-thirds of school-age kids on Medicaid did not have a single dental visit all year, and last year among all Ohio children, nearly 1 in 5 had at least one untreated cavity.
DeWine also said poor dental health has been shown to negatively impact children in the classroom, causing students to struggle with focus, socialize less, fall behind on their homework, and miss school more often.
