Healthy teeth lead to a lifetime of bright, confident smiles. Every parent wants that for their child. Having dental insurance can make that much easier!
To help your child’s teeth stay cavity-free and to avoid other painful oral care issues, it’s important to have your child visit the dentist regularly so that they can implement a preventative care routine early on.
Dental Insurance for Kids Through Medicaid
A pediatric dentist in Brighton who accepts dental insurance for kids through Medicaid can often provide the following services:
• Exams and X-rays to identify potential issues with your child’s oral health
• Cavity prevention with fluoride treatments and sealants as needed
• Finding potential problems with your child’s bite, which may need to be corrected with braces or retainers
• Emergency care services for toothaches or accidents involving your child’s teeth
• Treatment for infections
• Tooth restorations (i.e., fillings and crowns)
• Advice and support on caring for your child’s teeth, including proper brushing, flossing, and nutrition
Dental services through Medicaid will vary from state to state. But if you’re looking for a pediatric dentist in Colorado, your child should have the above services covered at a minimum.
There’s no question that having dental insurance for your children is the best way to ensure that they have access to the professional care they need when they need it. Dental insurance can help to make the costs for these services even more affordable.
What is Medicaid Exactly?
Medicaid is a state-run health insurance program that provides coverage for low-income children, adults, pregnant women, and elderly adults with disabilities.
Who is Eligible for Medicaid?
People who are deemed eligible for Medicaid can access various healthcare services either free of charge or for a minimal fee. Federal and state governments work together to provide Medicaid services. While the state is responsible to run the program and decide what benefits they will cover, the federal government provides the necessary funding and regulates program guidelines.
Dental care for children is required by law to be included in Medicaid coverage. The program provides comprehensive services, including early screening, diagnosis, and treatment. However, coverage is optional for adults over the age of 21.
The state will conduct Early Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) for Medicaid program recipients in all cases where it is determined to be medically necessary. If a condition is found during the examination that requires treatment, the state is obligated to cover all services necessary for treatment (even if those services are not included in the state’s Medicaid plan).
What Services are Considered Medically Necessary?
The state defines which services will be deemed medically necessary. Medicaid is technically a comprehensive health insurance program, therefore treatment options for certain oral diseases will include those related to other medical services covered by the program.
How to Determine if Medicaid is the Right Option for You and Your Children
Each state creates a periodic schedule whereby children are directly referred to the program. If you believe that your family qualifies for Medicaid services, you can either complete an online application or apply by phone or at a local Medicaid office. Your application will be reviewed to determine your eligibility.
Once approved, your local Medicaid office will also be able to tell you exactly what dental services are covered and to provide you with a complete list of the dental offices that accept Medicaid insurance.
How Oral Health Impacts Overall Health
Maintaining good oral health is about more than just having a great-looking smile. You may be surprised to learn that poor oral health can affect other parts of your body and lead to many other conditions and diseases.
Here are a few of the ways that your child’s health may be impacted by their oral health:
• Impaired Speech: Advanced tooth decay can cause early tooth loss, which can in turn impair speech development.
• Difficulty Sleeping: Severe oral disease can cause chronic dental pain, which may impact your child’s ability to sleep comfortably.
• Low Self-Esteem: Severe oral disease can cause children to feel less confident or even embarrassed by the appearance of their teeth.
• Poor Nutrition: Poor oral health in children is often linked to poor diet. Oral disease can result in painful problems for the teeth, making it difficult to chew. As a result, this may cause children to avoid eating certain foods.
• Lower Educational Performance: Chronic dental pain can make it difficult for children to focus at school and may even cause them to miss classes. Absences from school or early childhood development programs can cause kids to fall behind their peers, making it difficult to get homework completed.
• Diabetes: Studies show that people with gum disease may have more difficulty keeping their blood sugar under control. This also leaves diabetics more susceptible to gum disease, as their bodies have a harder time resisting infection. When periodontal disease is properly treated, there is often less of a need for insulin.
Dental Coverage Through SCHIP
There are some families whose total household income disqualifies them from Medicaid, yet they still do not earn enough to use other forms of insurance. For people who fall into this category, Medicare and Medicaid Services offer State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) services.
Who is Eligible for This Program?
SCHIP offers health and dental coverage for low-income children across the country.
Guidelines vary from state to state, depending on the age, annual income, and family size of the participants. The state provides coverage through its network of private sector healthcare providers, including dentists.
SCHIP is not accepted by all dentists, and not all dentists participate in the program. You should consult with your local health department for details on eligible providers.
Kids City Dental accepts dental insurance for kids through Medicaid. Don’t delay! Schedule an appointment for an oral examination so that your child can have a healthier, brighter smile!