The Medicare statute currently excludes nearly all dental coverage for the 60 million older adults and people with disabilities who rely on the program. This dental exclusion disproportionately impacts populations of color, who suffer adverse oral health outcomes at significantly higher rates than white older adults.
Adding a Dental Benefit to Medicare: Addressing Racial Disparities examines how adding an oral health benefit to Medicare would address disparities in access to care and oral health outcomes based on race, and puts forth additional policy options that can be implemented to further advance oral health equity.
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