The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry received a nearly $1 million grant to examine the effect Virginia's Medicaid dental policies have on access and use of care.
In 2021, all Medicaid-enrolled adults were made eligible for comprehensive dental coverage; previously that benefit was available only to children and pregnant women, according to a Jan. 22 news release from the university.
The goal of the study, led by associate professor Shillpa Naavaal, is to produce data to influence strategies for reducing gaps in oral healthcare throughout Virginia. Researchers will investigate the racial and ethnic disparities in the Medicaid group and how different groups compare with each other in terms of accessing and utilizing oral care.
The grant is funded by the National Institutes of Health and will run for five years, the release said.