Fewer patients uninsured, but gaps remain

Over the past two decades, the share of the U.S. population without dental benefits has declined, falling from about one-third in 2003 to roughly one-quarter in 2023, according to an analysis by the ADA Health Policy Institute.

During the same period, public coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program expanded from about 1 in 7 people in 2003 to 1 in 5 in 2023. However, federally mandated dental benefits apply only to children while coverage for adults varies by state.

Although these trends reflect meaningful progress in coverage, continued efforts remain in action to improve access by promoting fairer, more transparent insurance practices that better support both dentists and patients.