Dental Care: A Cost Barrier for Low-Income Individuals and Families

According to a study conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA) in 2020, dental care has consistently been one of the top three reasons why adults with low incomes reported unmet health needs. Here are some data points that support the idea that dental treatments can be expensive and unaffordable for low-income individuals and families:

1. Cost as a Barrier:
   • The ADA reports that 42% of adults with incomes below the federal poverty level did not visit a dentist in the past year due to cost constraints.
   • Among adults aged 19-64 with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, 67% had not visited a dentist in the past year because of cost.

Source: American Dental Association. (2020). Oral Health and Well-Being in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.ada.org/en/science-research/health-policy-institute/oral-health-and-well-being

2. Dental Coverage and Income:
   • According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2019, only 37% of adults with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level had dental coverage, while 86% of adults with incomes above 400% of the poverty level had such coverage.
   • The same survey found that 43% of adults with incomes below 200% of the poverty level reported delaying dental care due to cost, compared to 15% of adults with incomes above 400% of the poverty level.

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation. (2019). Health Insurance Coverage of Adults 19-64. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/adult-dental-visits/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D

3. Proportion of Income Spent on Dental Care:
   • A study published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry in 2018 found that low-income adults spend a significantly higher proportion of their income on dental care compared to higher-income individuals.
   • The study reported that adults with incomes below 200% of the poverty level spent approximately 8% of their income on dental care, while those with incomes above 400% of the poverty level spent only about 2% of their income on dental care.

Source: Vujicic, M., Buchmueller, T., Klein, R. (2018). Dental Care Presents The Highest Level Of Financial Barriers, Compared To Other Types Of Health Care Services. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 78(1), 1-6.

Please note that the data provided above is based on available sources, and it is always recommended to refer to the original studies for more comprehensive information.