Oral Health Care Needs of Young Adults Transitioning from Foster Care

Children who have aged out of the foster care system face considerable barriers in accessing oral health care. Although this population of foster care alumni may have Medicaid insurance while they are in care to cover dental care, 39 percent of youths who have aged out of foster care do not have dental insurance. This mixed methods study examines factors that contribute to the oral health care disparities of children who have transitioned from foster care. Multivariate analysis revealed that foster care alumni without dental insurance are 93.5 percent less likely to have their dental needs met than those with dental insurance. Themes from the qualitative data indicated a lack of oral health care, quality-of-life issues, and lack of support to access ongoing dental care. Most state Medicaid programs do not provide comprehensive dental care for adults past the age of 20, contributing to oral health disparities among this population. The addition of oral health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act of 2010 for foster care alumni would greatly enhance their quality of life. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for the role of social workers in promoting oral health care for foster care youths.