G-1911-15518

This investment supports the Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC) to continue its work to expand adult dental benefits in the state’s Medicaid program in alignment with DentaQuest Partnership priorities. MDAC is a non-profit organization with the mission to develop and maintain a statewide partnership of individuals and organizations committed to improving the health of all Marylanders through increased oral health promotion, disease prevention, education, advocacy and access to oral health care. Within the past two years, the partnership between DQP and MDAC led to a groundbreaking report on emergency department use for dental visits, used as part of MDAC’s advocacy efforts for an expended adult dental benefit. This work led to the passage of legislation to design a pilot project to expand dental benefits to adults dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, and MDAC now believes there is momentum to continue to build on this work, for example by expanding dental benefits through post-partum coverage. Specific activities for 2020 include: studying the outcomes and impact of the dual-eligible pilot; cultivating oral health champions among state policymakers; developing and testing integrated care models; and leading implementation of the state oral health plan. $148,800 will support staff time, meetings and communication activities, evaluation tools, and other administrative needs.