Current Issues

Putting Teeth In Health Reform  

The Dental Health Foundation is actively involved in advocating for the inclusion of dental benefits in all national health reform proposals. <more> 

Saving Adult Denti-Cal 

The funding for the Adult Denti-Cal program was removed by the governor in his January and May bugets.  Although both the Assembly Budget Subcommittee and the Senate Budget Committee subsequently voted to retain adult dental, there is no guarantee that it will be safe until the budget is actually signed by Governor Schwarzenegger.  Until that point, anything and everything remains on the table.  As budget negotions continue, our elected officials will continue to face many difficult decisions.  It is extremely important for us to impress upon our representatives that they should do their utmost to save adult dental coverage under Denti-Cal.  To lend your support - <more>

News Stories

June 12, 2009, Loss of Medi-Cal dental care hard to swallow
Dennis Conkin desperately needs to have a tooth pulled, but the 56-year-old San Francisco man is considering having all his remaining teeth extracted before his Medi-Cal dental benefits end July 1.
"It's really unfortunate but also realistic. What's going to happen when the front one goes and I need a root canal? <more> 

June 12, 2009, Health center leaders lament possible loss of state support for dental care
Officials with Golden Valley Health Centers on Thursday urged state leaders to reverse plans to end adult dental care under Medi-Cal next month.
"This fight will be a major struggle," Central Valley Health Network communications manager Hilda Martinez told a crowd of about 30. "It's important that we not balance the budget on the backs of the poor."
The Legislature in February decided to cut the benefit to adults, saving $115 million each year.
Denti-Cal covers about 3 million adults who are poor, elderly or disabled. <more>

June 11, 2009 Adult dental cuts to Medi-Cal coverage could have dire consequences, providers say
San Bernardino County health care providers and advocates on Thursday rallied residents to urge lawmakers to spare state-funded medical and dental services that will be eliminated beginning July 1. A little more than $109 million in adult Medi-Cal dental benefits will end June 30 if lawmakers don't come up with a plan to save them, according to a UC San Francisco report issued this month. In February, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed to eliminate some adult Medi-Cal services, identified as optional benefits, to balance the state budget. The adult dental program makes up about 3 percent of the state's total $36.6 billion Medi-Cal budget. <more>

Current Programs

School Policy Framework for Oral Health

The Dental Health Foundation (DHF) and the California School Boards Association (CSBA) are partnering to address one of the most significant health problems affecting school aged children—dental disease, DHF and CSBA are developing a comprehensive set of policies for school boards and administrators.  This is the first attempt to harness the power of school boards to help address the issue of children’s oral health (OH) and will serve as a model for replication in other states. <more>

 

Current Legislation