Medicaid dentists scarce in Florida

Note: This is part two of RN's three-part special report "Sunshine State Smiles: The Case for a FAMU College of Dental Medicine."

FAMU’s proposed College of Dental Medicine, which aims to train dentists “from underrepresented populations to serve underserved populations,” would fill a critical void in Florida. The state’s two dental schools at the University of Florida and Nova Southeastern are producing very few dentists who are willing to participate in the Medicaid program.

Florida Medicaid is the primary payer for oral health services for the state’s poor citizens.

According to the 2008 “State of Florida’s Oral Health” report by the Florida Department of Health, only about 10 percent of state dentists participated in Medicaid. Florida only has one dentist per 9,747 Medicaid-eligible children and one dentist per 41,039 Medicaid-eligible adults.

Fewer than 20 percent of Medicaid-eligible children in Florida have access to dental services. Florida needs an additional 600 full-time dentists to remove the manpower shortage for its low-income population.

The shortage of Medicaid dentists has led Florida to recruit more practitioners from out-of-state. In 2008, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill that changed the state’s licensure requirements to allow licensed dentists from other states to work in health care settings that serve some of Florida's most vulnerable citizens.

“By increasing the number of dentists eligible to practice in our state, we can help give children, adults and seniors the dental care that is so important for their overall health,” Crist said.

The “State of Florida’s Oral Health” report also recommended that the state consider establishing more dental schools to address this problem. With its proposed mission focusing on the underserved, a FAMU College of Dental Medicine would go a long way toward improving the oral health of Florida’s poorest children and adults.