College of Dentistry researcher finds link between Medicaid gaps and dental ER visits in rural areas

Dr. Marvellous Akinlotan

Dr. Marvellous Akinlotan, clinical assistant professor and director of health services research in pediatric dentistry at Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas, and others recently found that adults in rural communities, particularly those who receive Medicaid or lack dental insurance, are more likely to seek care in hospital emergency departments for preventable dental pain. Her research findings, sponsored by Delta Dental, are published in Journal of Public Health Dentistry.

Akinlotan reported that gaps in Medicaid adult dental benefits, coupled with limited access to dentists in rural areas, contribute to ineffective and pricey care in hospitals when dental needs could be addressed earlier in dental offices.

“Our research underscores a sobering reality: having a dental benefit on paper is not the same as having a chair in a clinic,” she said. “For rural populations, the promise of Medicaid is often neutralized by a lack of local providers and inadequate service coverage. To truly bridge this gap, we must look beyond mere enrollment and focus on the structural barriers that keep care out of reach.”

Read more about the study on Delta Dental’s site: Study finds Medicaid gaps drive preventable dental ER visits.