In the Buckeye State, particularly in rural or lower-income regions, not all kids are able to get regular care from a dentist. It’s a generations-old problem, but between 2022 and 2024 CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and Oral Health Ohio tried a pilot program to do something about it.

Through Medical Oral Expanded Care, the project incorporated oral health checks into kids’ annual well child visits with their pediatricians, according to a report by the Statehouse News Bureau.

The pilot involved more than 1,000 children.

Rebekah Mathews, vice president of health transformation with CareQuest Institute for Oral Health told Statehouse News Bureau the services available at pediatricians’ offices were prevention-related, such as fluoride varnishes. And if a doctor noted something concerning, or families did not have established dentists, they could recommend them to a partnering dental provider.

Through the program, the number of oral health services that could be provided to those kids who were part of the program increased by an average of 8%. More than 400 patients were referred to dental partners, and surgical interventions dropped by 4%.

“We’re very excited about that opportunity for more and earlier preventive services being available to Ohio’s children,” Mathews said.

But one challenge remains: The shortage of dentists also means referred dental practices were prohibitive distances away for families without reliable transportation to make follow-up visits.

Public officials must still work toward policies that encourage filling those gaps.

For now, though, there is good reason to be excited, and the partners should be looking carefully at how to expand the effort. It truly seems to be something for Ohio kids to smile about.