Dental Insurance in California

The deep budget cuts in California passed in July 2009 have had wide ranging impacts throughout the state, but one of the biggest losers might be the state's overall dental hygiene. That's because part of the budget cuts authorized by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came from eliminating dental care for recipients of Medi-Cal, forcing underprivileged families to pay an additional cost for their state-funded family dental insurance.

Gov. Schwarzenegger used a line item veto to eliminate almost $400 million in state spending for health and welfare programs. The move angered many Democrats, who felt the cuts went beyond what they had agreed upon during weeks of tense negotiations. Reducing the amount spent per person means that state-funded free clinics will not be able to provide the same level of services as previously.

A survey conducted by UC San Francisco looking at dental insurance in California showed just how important state-run programs can be, particularly for children. The results showed that 24 percent of children in California receive dental care through state-funded programs, while 52 percent are covered through private insurance plans. Another 23 percent had no access to dental insurance.

This is important because, as the researchers discovered while combing through data, children with dental insurance - either through the state or a private plan - were far more likely to visit a dentist at least once a year. This level of care greatly increases the chances of maintaining proper dental health and minimizes the risk of serious dental problems.

Increasing the level of preventive dental care has been a major concern of both public and private dental care providers, as it is an effective way to minimize the overall costs of care. Private providers such as Delta Dental insurance have made preventive care a top priority in their outreach to customers, touting that regular care can prevent costly procedures like root canals and filling cavities that might not be covered with annual maximum coverage rates topping out at $1,500 for many plans.