The Fight for Increased Dental Medicaid Reimbursement Rates
In 2022, the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health and their partners helped to successfully increase reimbursement rates for dental Medicaid to 80% of UCR.
In some cases, compensating providers more competitively than private dental insurance.
Since that time, with the support of a dedicated media campaign, MO HealthNet reported that in Q1 2024, dental medicaid provider enrollment had grown by 82.2% since FY 2022. This represented 184 new providers between Q4 2022 and Q4 2023. During that same time, 50,180 more unique patients received care, a 13.59% increase over FY 2022.
Provider enrollment continued to grow. As of February 2026, the program has enjoyed a net increase of 424 enrolled providers. Billing providers have increased by 33%, adults served have increased by 44%, and children served have increased by 12% as reported by MO HealthNet.
Explore the statistics to see why MO Medicaid Matters:
- 36 out of Missouri’s 114 counties have no dental Medicaid provider.
- Only about 3 out of 10 Missouri dentists are credentialed to treat Medicaid patients.
- 1 in 3 children in Missouri are covered by Medicaid.
- 2 in 3 nursing home patients in Missouri are covered by Medicaid.
- 2 in 7 people with disabilities in Missouri are covered by Medicaid.