Oral health care remains one of the most unmet health care needs for Californians. This is particularly true for those enrolled in Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, racial and ethnic minority populations, Tribal nation members, rural residents, and individuals with physical and developmental disabilities.1,2 Statewide initiatives to improve access to care and increase the number of dentists who accept Medi-Cal have not meaningfully increased access for Medi-Cal enrollees.3 This issue brief summarizes the state of access to oral health care in California and prior efforts to address this issue with limited success, with a companion issue brief addressing the oral health workforce.
