The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that every child be seen by a dentist following the eruption of the first tooth, but not later than 12 months of age. All other children should have additional periodic dental exams every six months (i.e., twice a year). One goal of the Healthy People 2010 initiative, a federal effort to increase quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities, is that at least 66% of low-income children receive a preventive dental visit each year. In addition, care that is necessary to correct or ameliorate identified problems must also be provided, including services that states do not otherwise cover in their Medicaid programs. Emerging Models for Dental Care for Medicaid Children

Many states recognize that dental care is underutilized across most Medicaid sub-populations. States may need to address such issues if they wish to expand access to dental care under Medicaid for children and other sub-groups.
According to guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, all youth should see a dentist for routine dental screening and preventive care twice a year. Dental care is a mandatory benefit for most Medicaid eligibles under the age of 21, however, nationwide, the majority of low-income children enrolled in Medicaid do not receive any dental services in a given year. There are many beneficiary and provider-related issues that contribute to inadequate access to and delivery of dental care. To address this problem, some states have undertaken new Medicaid initiatives to attract and retain dental providers that may serve as models for other state Medicaid programs.