A cross-sectional analysis of oral health care spending over the life span in commercial- and Medicaid-insured populations.

Background: Life course theory creates a better framework to understand how oral health care needs and challenges align with specific phases of the life span, care models, social programs, and changes in policy.

Methods: The authors obtained data from the 2018 IBM Watson Multi-State Medicaid MarketScan Database (31 million claims) and the 2018 IBM Watson Dental Commercial and Medicare Supplemental Claims Database (45 million claims). The authors conducted analysis comparing per enrollee spending on fee-for-service dental claims and medical spending on oral health care for patients from ages 0 through 89 years.

Results: Oral health care use rate and spending are lower during the first 4 years of life and in young adulthood than in other periods of life. Stark differences in the timing, impact, and severity of caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer are seen between those enrolled in Medicaid and commercial dental plans. Early childhood caries and oral cancer occur more frequently and at younger ages in Medicaid populations.

Conclusions: This life span analysis of the US multipayer oral health care system shows the complexities of the current dental service environment and a lack of equitable access to oral health care.

Practical Implications: Health policies should be focused on optimizing care delivery to provide effective preventive care at specific stages of the life span.