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Government-Funded Dental Insurance for Kids

Finding an affordable dentist that treats children can be tough. However, with the help of government-funded dental insurance, there are ways to pay for your kid’s dental procedures and treatments without breaking the bank.

Learn more about these programs and what benefits they can offer for your children.

What Does Government-Funded Dental Insurance Cover? 

There are different types of government-funded health plans. Each provides a different level of dental coverage for children.

  • Medicaid helps families that have lower incomes and limited resources. More than 60 million Americans rely on Medicaid for their medical needs.
  • SCHIP is a state-funded children’s health care program. This is often how Medicaid money is distributed to children in many states.
  • TRICARE is the insurance program for military families. TRICARE offers three different dental plans, but it is sometimes hard to find a dentist that accepts them. 

The amount of dental care provided by Medicaid varies from state to state. Medicaid is required by law to provide children under the age of 21 with the following dental services:

  • Preventative care including exams and teeth cleaning
  • Tooth restoration
  • Relief of dental pain

Few Dentists Accept Government-Funded Dental Insurance

Although the government says states must offer children’s dental coverage through Medicaid, many dental providers do not accept government-funded dental insurance. This leaves many children without important dental care. In fact, 42% of children under the age of 11 have cavities.

The good news is, not all dentists deny government-funded insurance. At Kool Smiles, Medicaid, TRICARE, and SCHIP are all accepted without limitations.

Why Children Need Dental Care

Tooth decay is the number one medical problem for kids nationwide. Children with unhealthy teeth often suffer from mouth pain, embarrassment, and other social issues.

By bringing your child in for regular dentist visits at least twice a year, you can help your child create a lifetime of healthy smiles. By accepting government-funded dental insurance, Kool Smiles makes covering the cost of dental care for children a reality.

Affordable Payment Options at Kool Smiles

At Kool Smiles, our goal is to extend dental care to children all over the country. That’s why we accept Medicaid at every one of our over 120 offices around the country without limiting the number of Medicaid patients we see.

We also accept other types of government-funded dental insurance like state-sponsored health plans (SCHIP) and TRICARE for children whose parents are in the military. We also accepts most major forms of insurance, cash or credit.

At Kool Smiles, we make our offices as kid-friendly as possible. Not only do most waiting rooms include a playground area, but our doctors also understand how to relate to children and are gentle with your little ones. The Kool Experience makes visiting the dentist enjoyable for young patients.

Bring Your Child to Kool Smiles Today

Find your nearest Kool Smiles office or give us a call to set up your child’s first appointment. We’ll be happy to discuss payment options and any questions you have about government funded dental insurance.

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Sources:

Medicaid: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/dental/index.html

USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/02/15/medicaid-patients-struggle-to-get-dental-care/23315811/

NIDCR: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/DentalCaries/DentalCariesChildren2to11.htm

NCOHF: http://www.ncohf.org/resources/tooth-decay-facts

TRICARE: http://www.tricare.mil/