Title The Affordable Care Act Has the Potential to Considerably Increase Children’s Access to Dental Care
Clinical Question In children ages 0-18 years old, does the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have an impact on access to dental services compared to access levels before the ACA?
Clinical Bottom Line The number of children that will gain dental benefits by 2018 is expected to increase with the help of the ACA.
Best Evidence  
PubMed ID Author / Year Patient Group Study type
(level of evidence)
N/ANasseh/2013N/AResearch Brief
Key resultsThe authors project an 8.7 million increase in the number of children that will gain dental benefits by 2018 with the help of the Affordable Care Act, which would account for a 15% increase as compared to the 2010 data. This will result in a 55% decrease in the number of children without access to dental benefits. Nasseh K, Vujicic M, O’Dell A. Affordable Care Act expands dental benefits for children but does not address critical access to dental care issues. Health Policy Institute Research Brief. American Dental Association. April 2013. Available from: http://www.ada.org/sections/professionalResources/pdfs/HPRCBrief_0413_3.pdf
Evidence Search A search was performed on the American Dental Association website (Research Briefs from the Health Policy Institute under the Science/Research tab)
Comments on
The Evidence
Validity: The article is a review of the current literature and provides a perspective of the impact of the ACA on the oral health of children based upon projections. While the projections are based on evidence, the use of projections introduces a level of potential bias. Because the ACA is new, no current meta-analyses or RCTs were available. This information provides the most current information about the question that is available. Perspective: I believe that the 55% decrease in the number of children without access to dental benefits by 2018 reflects good progress in improving the oral health status of children in the US. If success is achieved as projected, the ACA should continue its efforts until dental care access is achieved for all children. However, the Trump administration proposed the repeal and replacement of the ACA, which could have a negative impact on dental benefits for children. Further research should be conducted when the new health care act is enacted.
Applicability This research predicts the positive effect of the ACA in improving children access to dental care. This will result in equal access for children across the United States and a decrease in dental care disparity between children because of differing financial backgrounds.
Specialty (Public Health) (General Dentistry)
Keywords Affordable Care Act, ACA, children's dental care, access to dental services
ID# 3154
Date of submission 03/23/2017
E-mail zaki@livemail.uthscsa.edu
Author Armia Zaki
Co-author(s)
Co-author(s) e-mail
Faculty mentor David Cappelli, DMD, MPH, PhD
Faculty mentor e-mail cappelli@uthscsa.edu
   
Basic Science Rationale
(Mechanisms that may account for and/or explain the clinical question, i.e. is the answer to the clinical question consistent with basic biological, physical and/or behavioral science principles, laws and research?)
None available
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Comments and Evidence-Based Updates on the CAT
(FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS', FACULTY, RESIDENTS and/or STUDENTS COMMENTS ON PUBLISHED CATs)
None available