Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine plans to seek funds for a pilot program to expand access to dental services for low-income families, according to an April 3 report from Eyewitness News.
The Children’s Dental Services Pilot Program would improve dental services for 12,000 children across nine counties designated as in high-need areas for dentistry.
According to David Smith, DDS, a dentist in Gallia County, Ohio, nearly two-thirds of school-aged children on Medicaid did not have a single dental visit and nearly 20% had at least one untreated cavity in 2023.
The program would cost $10 million and last two years. The Ohio General Assembly will vote to determine whether the program will be put into effect, the report said.
