Access to Dental Care for Low Income Children in Illinois

While children’s oral health has improved over the past forty years, many children have inadequate dental care. In the last several years, national attention has focused on the problem of limited access to dental care for low-income children. The causes of low access to dental care are complex. The lack of dentists willing to provide care to children with Medicaid has been called the most significant barrier to dental care. Most states are taking steps to expand dentists’ participation, with the expectation that this will increase the number of children treated.