New data tool shows Coloradans missing out on dental care
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Young people living in rural parts of Colorado are accessing oral health care at half the rate of the general population, according to data from a new online Dental Dashboard created by the Center for Improving Value in Health Care in partnership with the Colorado Dental Association.
Lauren Harvey with the Association said the dashboard, which taps insurance data from the state’s All Payer Claims Database, provides key insights into communities missing out on important oral health care.
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"Oral health is a vital part of overall health and well-being," Harvey stressed. "If you have poor oral health, chances are you also will have other issues with your overall health that are going to impact you on your day-to-day life."
Untreated oral health conditions have been linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Poor oral health can also reduce self-esteem, the ability to get and keep a job and overall quality of life.
The biggest barriers to accessing dental care in rural areas are lack of insurance and available providers, and the long distances people have to travel, according to a report by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
Analysis of data from the Dental Dashboard also found access to dental care was lower among communities of color. Harvey emphasized understanding where access is low is key to crafting policy solutions.
"Just having the information available lets us identify where there may be a need, and begin to explore why there is a need and what the barriers may be," Harvey outlined. "And looking at subsequent reforms that can help improve health outcomes for sometimes overlooked populations."
The dashboard analysis found costs are significantly higher in many rural regions. Getting a porcelain crown costs 6 percent more in rural areas, and root canals cost on average $620 compared with $582 in urban areas.
Procedures such as dental implants and prosthetics play an outsize role in overall costs of dental care in the state.
