Despite all we know about the importance of oral health to overall health, to people’s self-esteem, and to their employability, state and federal policies continually sell dental care short.
Most states spend 2 percent or less of their Medicaid budgets on dental services. An estimated 164 million work hours are lost yearly due to oral disease.
The American Dental Association is committed to improving the nation’s oral health through public education and legislative advocacy to strengthen funding for dental services provided through public health programs.
