New research from Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (A&M Dentistry), sponsored by Delta Dental, finds that adults living in rural communities—particularly covered by Medicaid or without dental coverage—are significantly more likely to rely on hospital emergency departments (ED) for preventable dental pain.
The research, led by Marvellous Akinlotan, BDS, PhD, clinical assistant professor and director of health services research in pediatric dentistry, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, shows that limited access to dentists in rural areas, combined with gaps in Medicaid adult dental benefits, contributes to costly and ineffective emergency care for non-traumatic dental conditions that could be treated earlier in a dental office.
Key findings include:
• Rural Medicaid enrollees are significantly more likely than urban residents to visit the ED for dental pain, suggesting persistent access barriers even among insured populations.
• States without Medicaid expansion or adult dental benefits show the highest rates of ED visits, with rural residents facing the greatest risk.
• Uninsured adults remain the most vulnerable, consistently accounting for the highest likelihood of ED dental visits regardless of geography.
“These findings highlight a critical policy gap,” said Akinlotan. “For rural communities, Medicaid dental benefits must be both comprehensive and functional.”