Preventive dental care is associated with lower overall medical costs among Medicaid-covered adults with nine diseases and conditions, according to an analysis conducted by Columbia University on federal data collected in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) via a grant from the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP).

Findings were reported at the annual meeting of the American Association of Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) in Portland, Oregon, on March 16, 2023. The analysis of MEPS data from 2014, 2015, and 2016 of select non-communicable disease diagnoses suggest that state Medicaid programs that include dental coverage and preventive dental care can reduce healthcare costs.