Dental access is lacking in rural America, according to a recent NPR feature.
Here's what you need to know:
1. Rural residents are less likely to have access to fluoridated water.
2. Rural residents are more likely to live in areas without convenient access to dental care. Already, most states across the country do not have enough dental health professionals to meet resident needs, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
3. A study out of the Federal Reserve found that, in 2014, one in four Americans could not afford dental care. This finding is particularly detrimental for those in rural regions, since rural residents are more likely to be poor and less likely to have dental insurance than urban residents, according to a 2015 Pew Charitable Trusts report.
4. Many dentists do not accept Medicaid patients due to low reimbursement rates. Four states do not offer any dental insurance to Medicaid beneficiaries, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy, and 15 states only offer emergency care.
5. NPR highlighted the importance of community health centers, which provide low-income and uninsured residents with medical resources. Centers like the Wisconsin-based Marshfield Clinic, which has more than 50 locations, help these residents receive necessary dental care.