New data from a national survey show that adults with disabilities continue to face significant barriers to accessing oral health care, making them more vulnerable to adverse health outcomes.
The data comes from the State of Oral Health Equity in America (SOHEA) survey, an annual study conducted by the CareQuest Oral Health Institute to understand the oral health experiences, attitudes and behaviors of adults in the United States.
Survey results show that adults with at least one disability are more likely to experience challenges related to income, education level and insurance coverage that affect their ability to consistently obtain adequate dental care.
These factors are strongly associated with having a regular dental care provider, when their last dental visit was, and whether they seek dental services in an emergency.
Key findings from the report include:
Only 56% of adults with disabilities reported seeing a dentist in the past year, compared to 70% of adults without disabilities.
About a third of adults with disabilities reported that dental offices did not provide necessary accessibility or additional supports during their visit.
Dental insurance coverage is lower among adults with disabilities at 66%, compared to 76% for adults without disabilities.
25% of adults with disabilities report not getting needed health care, including dental care, because of delayed or missed care.
Compared to adults without disabilities, adults with disabilities are more likely to rate their oral health as fair or poor and visit emergency rooms more often for dental care.
The report proposes several strategies to improve care, including expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage of dental care, increasing disability inclusion training for dental providers, and promoting integration of dental services with other health services.
These findings highlight persistent gaps in oral health care and underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms to more effectively support adults with disabilities.
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