Children’s Dental Health
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Issues/Needs: Service & Information Gaps

• There are too few dentists willing and able to sedate children
• Not enough providers accept Denti-Cal
• Prevention messages to children and parents are insufficient
• Regular oral exams and preventive measures need to begin earlier
• Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking providers are in short supply
• Disabled and special needs children face unmet dental care needs
• Strengthened coordination is needed
• Accessibility to dentists should be improved

There Are Too Few Dentists Willing and Able to Sedate Children

The trauma of dental procedures for young children, their inability to sit still and follow instructions, and the difficulty of scheduling multiple appointments make sedation critical for children under age 5 with severe dental problems.

Many doctors are uncomfortable treating young children or are not trained to sedate them. Denti-Cal will not reimburse for general, in-office sedation in some cases. Healthy Families and Healthy Kids will reimburse in more cases, for far less than cost. Children with severe physical disabilities, and some with mental disabilities, may need full sedation as well, regardless of their ages. In one positive development, the state recently changed its policy to begin reimbursing dental anesthesia under Denti-Cal at the same rate as medical anesthesia. The lower rates for dental anesthesia have long been a concern for dental providers, according to a recent Denti-Cal Bulletin.