Other parents say they didn’t call for an appointment because their child didn’t need dental care or had dental problems.
Most parents (67%) believe it is safe for their child to receive dental care at this point in the pandemic, while 14% feel it is unsafe and 19% are unsure.
Clark recommends that parents who are concerned about exposure to COVID contact their child’s dentist to find out what precautions have been taken. These may include screening patients and staff and temperature checks and waiting for patients in their cars rather than in the waiting room.
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“It can be helpful for dentists to be proactive by reminding parents of the importance of regular dental checkups for children,” she says. “Reminder notices and website updates outlining changes to practice functions may also help more parents feel safe bringing children to their visit.”
Insurance barriers contribute to the accessibility of dental health care
Barriers to dental appointments occurred more frequently for children with Medicaid dental coverage compared to those with private dental insurance.
Among parents who tried to bring their child in for preventive dental care, 15% of parents of children with Medicaid dental coverage reported being unable to make an appointment, compared with 4% of those with private dental insurance and 5% without they had no coverage.
Clark notes that even outside of the pandemic, these children often struggle to find a dentist, as many providers do not accept Medicaid payment. Some children receive preventive dental services through schools or public dental offices, but these services have been reduced during the pandemic.
Among parents who did not try to schedule a preventive dental appointment, cost was the reason for 23% of parents who did not have dental insurance, compared with very few of those with private or Medicaid coverage.
“Insurance barriers can lead to unequal opportunities for families to receive dental care that is critical to keeping their children’s teeth healthy,” says Clark.
1 in 4 parents see improvements in their child’s oral health habits during the pandemic
An unexpected finding from the Mott Poll report was that a quarter of parents reported improvements in their child’s oral health habits during the pandemic.
This included brushing more often (16%), flossing (11%) and using fluoride rinses (9%) and consuming less sugary drinks (15%).
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Overall, 28% of parents say their child has made at least one positive change, including more parents of children with Medicaid (37%) or no dental coverage (32%) compared to private dental insurance (24%).
“We were pleased to find parents describing positive changes in how their children take care of their teeth at home,” says Clark. “Brushing and flossing daily and avoiding sugary drinks are important ways to prevent tooth decay.
“Parents whose child does not have a regular dental checkup should take extra steps to improve daily oral health habits, particularly if regular dental care has been delayed or disrupted,” she adds.
