University of Utah School of Dentistry partners with Utah Medicaid to make dental services more available

SALT LAKE CITY — On Tuesday, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services announced it will be providing dental services to Utah Medicaid members 21 and over.

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Before now, only certain members, like children, pregnant women, people with disabilities and those 65 or older qualified for dental coverage. Now, enrolled members 21 and older are covered. 

In its announcement, Utah Medicaid also announced it has partnered with the University of Utah School of Dentistry to help provide care to all the new patients.

The DHHS estimates that an additional 120,000 adults will now have dental care access. 

X-rays, check-ups, six-month cleanings, fillings, root canals, extractions, dentures, emergency exams and crowns are services that could be included. 

The UUSOD has a network of over 300 associated providers throughout Utah that help provide dental care to those who may have difficulty accessing it. 

“After leveraging its own resources, UUSOD has stepped in to bridge a gap with the collective goal of providing high quality dental care for adults on Medicaid, ” wrote Jen Strohecker, Utah Medicaid director, in a press release. “ … We are grateful for this strong and strategic partnership rooted in our commitment to care for all members of our community.”