Nearly half of insured adults do not receive regular dental care, access must be expanded

A recent national poll from the PAN Foundation’s Center for Patient Research finds that nearly half (40 percent) of insured adults do not receive regular dental care.

Among insurance types, adults with Medicaid (45 percent) are significantly less likely than those with Medicare (62 percent) and commercial insurance (68 percent) to visit the dentist at least once per year.

Other findings include:

• Among insured adults who do not receive regular dental care, nearly 4 in 10 (36 percent) report it’s because they can’t afford it.
• One-third of insured adults without regular dental care say they have experienced worsening dental issues (36 percent) and tooth loss (35 percent) due to not having regular access to dental care.
• Women (40 percent) are more likely than men (33 percent) to experience worsening of dental issues such as tooth decay and gum disease.

“Our most recent poll shows that far too many people in the United States lack access to regular dental care, despite us knowing that good dental hygiene is critical for overall health,” said Amy Niles, Chief Mission Officer at the PAN Foundation. “Oftentimes, as these results indicate, people can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs associated with dental care—especially when their insurance plans don’t include dental coverage. Instead, they choose to forego treatment leading to worsening of dental issues and overall health outcomes. That’s why PAN is calling on Congress to expand access to comprehensive dental care in Medicare, Medicaid, and federal marketplace plans to help minimize out-of-pocket costs for these essential health services.”

Foregoing dental care can lead to several oral health consequences, such as tooth loss, cavities, and gum disease. Research also increasingly links poor health to conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. And racial disparities in oral healthcare are well-documented and further highlight the inequities made worse by insufficient dental coverage. That’s why the PAN Foundation, alongside our partners and advocates, continues to voice its support for expanding access to comprehensive dental services.

Polling methodology: This poll was conducted between October 14-16, 2024, among a sample of 2,204 adults. The interviews were conducted online, and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age, and race by educational attainment. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

About the PAN Foundation 

As a leading charitable foundation and healthcare advocacy organization, the PAN Foundation is dedicated to accelerating access to treatment for those who need it most and empowering patients on their healthcare journeys. We provide critical financial assistance for treatment costs, advocate for policy solutions that expand access to care, and deliver education on complex topics—all driven by our belief that everyone deserves access to affordable, equitable healthcare.

Since 2004, our financial assistance programs have helped more than 1.2 million people to start or stay on life-changing treatment. In addition, we’ve achieved major policy victories that increase access to care, mobilized patient advocates to call for change, and educated people nationwide on critical healthcare-related topics. We’re committed to working towards a future where equitable health outcomes are a reality for all. To learn more, visit panfoundation.org.