Healthy Cabarrus Dental Task Force

Addressing access to dental care in our community

Background

Cabarrus County’s dentist to population ratio is 1:4017 compared to the state ratio of 1:2495. The American Dental Association recommends a ratio of 1:1700. Through the Healthy Cabarrus community needs assessment, surveys mailed to 10,000 residents (with over 2000 returned) revealed that 15% of respondents had children who had never seen a dentist, and 27% had children who had not seen a dentist for more than a year. Further compounding the problem of access to dental are is the low reimbursement rate from Medicaid which has resulted in few local dentists accepting Medicaid. Therefore, many adults and children who receive Medicaid do not have access to dental care.

The Healthy Cabarrus Dental Task Force held it’s organizational meeting on September 17, 1999. The following goals were set to guide the work of the task force for the next three to five years.

Access to Dental Care Task Force Goals:

• Increase services for indigent/Medicaid population

•  Increase the Dentist to Population Ration for Cabarrus County

• Decrease inappropriate emergency room use

•  Assess and address dental needs of long-term care residents

2007-2008 Membership List