Medicaid Payment and Fluoride Varnish Application During Pediatric Medical Visits

Abstract

All Medicaid programs pay for fluoride varnish applications during medical visits for infants and toddlers, but receipt of care varies considerably across states. Using 2006–2014 Medicaid data from 22 states, this study examined the association between Medicaid payment and receipt of fluoride varnish during pediatric medical visits. Among 3,393,638 medical visits, fewer than one in 10 visits included fluoride varnish. Higher Medicaid payment was positively associated with receipt of fluoride varnish during pediatric medical visits. As policymakers consider strategies for increasing young children’s access to preventive oral health services, as well as consider strategies for balancing budgets, attention should be paid to the effects of provider payment on access to pediatric oral health services.