Challenges Faced by Minority Children in Obtaining Dental Care

Deaths of children due to neglected dental diseases have put the issue of access to care by minorities at the forefront of dental public health discussions. We evaluated the trends in dental service utilization in relation to racial disparities and other factors using Medicaid enrollment and claims data from 1990 to 1997 for Alabama children 19 years of age and younger (N5512,049). Alabama Medicaid children visited the dentist at a low and declining rate.