Nearly 50% of Medi-Cal dentists say they would drop the program if the proposed cuts to provider rates take effect this year, according to a survey from the California Dental Association.
Here are 10 things to know:
- The California Dental Association collected more than 1,500 responses, including 990 dentists currently enrolled in Medi-Cal, for the survey it conducted at the end of 2025.
- Forty nine percent of respondents said they disenroll from Medi-Cal if the rate cut is approved, and 30% said they would see fewer Medicaid patients.
- Less than 5% of respondents said they would not make any changes.
- More than 90% of dentists who are currently not in the program said they would not consider becoming a Medi-Cal provider if the cuts are approved.
- Medi-Cal reimbursements were significantly increased in 2017 and 2018 using funding from Proposition 56. The rates from the proposition total at least 40% of the program’s reimbursement.
- The rate increases were targeted for elimination in 2025, but were delayed to July.
- The number of Medi-Cal dentists has increased by 34% since the rate increase took effect in 2017.
- One-third of adults in the state and half of children in California rely on Medi-Cal for dental services.
- The potential exodus of Medi-Cal providers would cause patients into emergency rooms and complicate otherwise minor, treatable conditions, according to CDA president Robert Hanlon, DMD.
- A coalition of more than 50 organizations called on legislators to protect Medi-Cal’s funding earlier this year.
