Eighteen states have expanded their benefits since 2021, according to new data from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute.
The ADA recently released its “Dental Care in Medicaid Programs” report with updated information on dentist participation, dental care utilization, reimbursement rates and more as of 2025.
Here are eight facts and statistics from the report:
1. Eighteen states have expanded their benefits since 2021, and no state has cut back benefits. 2. Thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C. offer enhanced dental benefits to adults under Medicaid.
3. Only 41% of dentists participate in Medicaid/CHIP.
4. Dentists with higher rates of participation in Medicaid are largely those who are female, Black, affiliated with a DSO and are younger than 50.
5. Participation has declined slightly among younger dentists and DSO-affiliated dentists, but has remained stable for other subgroups.
6. Forty-nine percent of Medicaid/CHIP patients aged 1-20 visited a dentist within the last 12 months in 2024, compared to 44% in 2020 and 52% in 2019.
7. The ADA found reimbursement rates in most states fall below 50% of dentist charges and 60% of private insurance reimbursement.
8. The states that have expanded their adult Medicaid dental benefits since last year are Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and Utah.
