February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) – a perfect time to remind parents and caretakers of the connection between dental health and overall health. Oral health issues, when left untreated, can cause pain, infection, and impact a child’s ability to learn. Poor oral health has also been linked to increased instances of behavioral and mental health issues, making dental care a necessary part of protecting a child’s overall health.
However, disparities across pediatric dental health persist - children without insurance experience a higher rate of oral and dental health issues, like tooth decay, compared to their insured counterparts. There are also racial and ethnic disparities in children’s dental care, leading to higher rates of tooth decay among American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Hispanic and Black children.
The good news – health benefits from Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can help families access health coverage that includes comprehensive dental care. Kids up to age 19 can receive oral health care that includes regular dental check-ups, x-rays, fluoride treatments, fillings, and more. Enrollment is open year-round for families that aren’t covered yet. Use our ‘Find a Dentist’ tool to help those in your community find dental providers in their area that accept Medicaid and CHIP.
Regular dental visits, recommended every six months, can help identify, treat, and prevent common issues including cavities. Additionally, establishing healthy habits at home, including brushing teeth twice a day and limiting sugary drinks and treats, can also help keep all kids’ teeth healthy.
It is important to continue to remind families that their Medicaid or CHIP coverage may need to be renewed so they can maintain coverage and prevent common dental issues! Make sure those in your community know to keep an eye out for their child’s Medicaid or CHIP renewal in the mail and that it should be completed and returned as soon as possible.
Customizable Resources for NCDHM and Beyond
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign has resources to support outreach around dental health, including newsletter templates, coloring pages for kids, social media posts, customizable posters and more. Organizations can order print-ready, customizable resources from the Campaign that feature your name, logo, and contact information. Check out our Materials Customization Guide (PDF, 6.32 MB) , which includes a selection of posters, palmcards, and direct mail inserts in English and Spanish focused on several key initiatives including dental health.
Register Today! Upcoming National Children’s Dental Health Month Webinar
There’s still time to register for our next webinar, which will be held on Wednesday, February 14 at 3 p.m. ET. This webinar will explore the peace of mind that parents and caregivers can have knowing that comprehensive dental health services – including regular dental check-ups, fillings, x-rays, and fluoride treatments – are covered through Medicaid and CHIP.
Missed any of our previous webinars? Check them out at InsureKidsNow.gov underneath the Webinars & Videos tab!
Check Out HHS’ New Medicaid and CHIP Resource Hub Featuring Renewal and Transition Materials
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently launched a new, online and user-friendly hub for partners to access critical Medicaid and CHIP renewal and transition resources. This outreach and engagement resource hub pulls together materials from across the federal government. It is a key part of the Administration’s all-hands-on-deck effort to ensure people with Medicaid or CHIP coverage are aware of states’ renewal process and can easily renew their coverage, or, if appropriate, get connected to other coverage through their employer or the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Most of the resources available on this new centralized hub were developed by CMS; other resources come from different HHS agencies or US Government agencies that have worked closely with HHS and CMS to develop these additional resources. This effort represents an all-of-government approach to assist people who are renewing or transitioning their coverage.
Upcoming Observances
- National Children’s Dental Health Month (February)
- American Heart Month (February)
- Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (February)
- Valentine’s Day (February 14)
- National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (February 26 - March 4)
- National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March)
- National Nutrition Month (March)
- Save Your Vision Month (March)
- American Diabetes Alert Day (March 26)
- National Doctor’s Day (March 30)
Stay Connected with the Campaign
- Share our Campaign materials. Our ever-growing, multi-lingual Outreach Tool Library features a variety of targeted resources to use in your outreach and enrollment efforts, available in multiple formats.
- Contact us. To get more involved with the Campaign, contact us via email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov.
- Follow the Campaign on X (formerly Twitter). Remember to re-tweet or share our messages from @IKNGov with your social network and be sure to use our #Enroll365 and #KidsEnroll hashtags in your posts.
Subscribe to the “Campaign Notes” eNewsletter
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign eNewsletter “Campaign Notes” is distributed throughout the year and provides updates on Campaign activities. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, we invite you to sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox.