Adults with Medi-Cal coverage can now get something they have had to do without: dental care.
State lawmakers have fully restored Denti-Cal benefits as of Jan. 1. They were cut in 2009 during the depths of the recession, and only partially restored in 2014.
The Department of Health Care Services says less than a quarter of adults on Medi-Cal saw a dentist within the last year.
Dr. John Luther, chief dental officer for Western Dental, the state’s largest provider of Denti-Cal benefits, said there is a lot of unmet need.
“Many of the adults that qualify for Denti-Cal can not afford to pay out-of-pocket, so they simply go without. Or they have services that just get them by,” he explained.
Denti-Cal patients can get now a wide array of services, including check-ups, partial dentures and root canals.
The state has also increased rates for many procedures by as much as 40 percent. Officials hope that will encourage more providers to treat Denti-Cal patients.
