Oral Health Services: Oral health plays a critical role in a person’s overall health and well-being, yet many New Yorkers face limited access to the oral health services they need. Identifying where these needs are most acute can help guide resource allocation to fill service gaps. 

A new report, released by the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University at Albany’s College of Integrated Health Sciences, indicates that improving access to oral health services in New York State requires a broader understanding of oral health needs and the challenges that underserved populations face. 

The study, conducted by the Center for Health Workforce Studies and funded by the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, examined factors identified by New York State consumers that affected their access to oral health services, and explored differences in service utilization by sociodemographic population groups.

Researchers extracted data from the January and June 2022 waves of the Consumer Survey of Health Care Access, produced by the American Association of Medical Colleges. Forty-three percent of New York respondents reported facing major access barriers. Compared to respondents nationwide, a higher proportion of New Yorkers experienced access barriers such as finding a dentist who accepted their plan, transportation issues and locating dental care.

"Lack of access to dental care is a major issue for some New Yorkers, especially in rural areas where dentist supply is low and there’s limited or no public transportation," said Jean Moore, director of UAlbany’s Center for Health Workforce Studies. "And then once people find a dentist, which could be an hour away from where they live, their dental insurance may not be accepted. This is often how minor dental issues escalate to become dental emergencies — because individuals can’t get access to basic preventive services in the first place."

Other access barriers — such as financial constraints, lack of dental insurance and difficulties in finding providers who accept Medicaid or offer needed services — continue to disproportionately affect certain demographic groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, low-income individuals and rural residents.

"This new data confirms the tremendous unmet need for preventive and routine oral health services in areas of New York State, especially for New Yorkers with low incomes," said Kate Breslin, president and CEO of the Schuyler Center. "Poor oral health and dental pain impacts a person’s ability to live a full life, and a lack of access to oral health care is a matter of health equity. Later this year, Schuyler Center will be releasing recommendations on policy solutions to promote oral health equity, especially in the high-need populations identified in this report. Central to those solutions is bolstering the oral health workforce." Newswise/SP