TUESDAY, April 14, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Children who do not go to the dentist are less likely to participate in school-based cavity prevention programs (SCPPs), according to a study published online April 9 in JAMA Network Open.
Shulamite S. Huang, Ph.D., from the New York University College of Dentistry in New York City, and colleagues examined whether children with prior dental care utilization are more likely than children without prior utilization to participate in SCPPs. The analysis included data from 63,217 children (62,187 nonparticipants and 1,030 participants), with SCPPs implemented in 47 primary schools.
The researchers found that compared with any dental visits, having no dental visits prior to SCPP implementation was associated with lower odds of participating (adjusted odds ratio, 0.83). Having no dental emergencies was associated with increased odds of participating (adjusted odds ratio, 1.32) compared with having any dental emergencies. A statewide SCPP rollout could save an estimated $2.4 million in nontraumatic dental-related emergency department visits.
"This has staggering implications for Medicaid costs," Huang said in a statement. "As New York expands access to school-based dental care, improving recruitment strategies and reorienting outreach to high-risk children could save the state millions and offset some of the costs of expanding care."