MILWAUKEE — A new report says Wisconsin's track record for providing dental care to low-income children is dismal.
The study by Pew Charitable Trusts released Tuesday says about 71 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children did not see a dentist in 2011. That's second only to Florida where 75 percent did not get dental care.
Wisconsin Dental Association past president Monica Hebl says the state spends less than 1 percent of its Medicaid budget on dental care. Hebl tells the Journal Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1a9sKNt ) the reimbursement rate for Medicaid patients hasn't been raised in years.
Hebl says dental care affects a person's overall health. Gum inflammation, for example, has been linked to poor control over diabetes.
