Increasing access to dental care for Medicaid preschool children: The Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program

Objective. Washington State's Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) Pro gram, first implemented in Spokane County in 1995, offers extended dental b enefits to participating Medicaid-enrolled children and higher fees for cer tified providers. This study aimed to determine the program's effect on chi ldren's dental utilization and dental fear, and on parent satisfaction and knowledge. Methods. The study used a posttest-only comparison group design, Trained in terviewers conducted telephone interviews with 465 parents of children ages 13 to 36 months (49% ABCD, 51% Medicaid-enrolled children not in ABCD). On e year later, 282 of 465 parents completed a follow-up survey. Utilization and expenditures were calculated from Medicaid claims. Results. Forty-three percent of children in the ABCD Program visited a dent ist in the follow-up year, compared with 12% of Medicaid-enrolled children not in the ABCD Program, An ABCD child was 5.3 times as likely to have had at least one dental visit as a child not in the program, ABCD children were 4 to 13 times as likely to have used specific dental services. Parents of ABCD children were more likely to report having ever tried to make a dental appointment, less likely to report that their children were fearful of the dentist, and were more satisfied, compared to parents of non-ABCD children . Conclusion. The authors conclude that the ABCD Program was effective in inc reasing access for preschool children enrolled in Medicaid, reducing dental fear, and increasing parent satisfaction.