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Child dental expenditures: 1996.

Burton L Edelstein1, Richard J Manski, John E Moeller

  • 1Division of Community Health, Columbia University, School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and Children's Dental Health Project of Washington, DC, USA. ble22@columbia.edu

Pediatric Dentistry
|March 5, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Child dental care spending totals nearly $12 billion annually, with significant disparities favoring higher-income children. Out-of-pocket costs remain high, even for Medicaid-eligible children, indicating unmet needs.

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Area of Science:

  • Health Economics
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Public Health Policy

Background:

  • Limited data exists on child dental expenditures in the U.S.
  • Understanding these costs is crucial for child health care planning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate dental care expenditures for U.S. children.
  • Analyze expenditures by demographic factors like age, sex, race, income, and parental employment.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized parentally reported data from the 1996 federal Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
  • Employed a large sample and complex survey design to represent the entire U.S. child population.

Main Results:

  • Total child dental expenditures reached nearly $12 billion, averaging $375 per child receiving care.

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  • Payment sources: 47% out-of-pocket, 45% insurance, 8% other (primarily Medicaid).
  • Disparities observed: lower spending on low-income and minority children despite higher disease prevalence; high out-of-pocket costs for Medicaid-eligible children.

    • Conclusions:

    • Child dental care constitutes a significant portion of overall U.S. dental and child health care spending.
    • Expenditures favor higher-income children, highlighting racial and income disparities.
    • High out-of-pocket costs for Medicaid-eligible children suggest Medicaid's inadequacy in meeting needs; improved financing and administration are required for equitable oral health.