Media Contact:
Melissa Richey, Chief of Communications
405-982-8707 | melissa.richey@okhca.org
Katelynn Burns, Director of Public Affairs
405-522-7266 | katelynn.burns@okhca.org
OHCA Providing Additional Dental Benefits for Adult SoonerCare Members
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is now providing additional dental benefits to all adult SoonerCare members. Oklahoma joins at least 30 states who also offer these benefits.
The adult limited dental benefit will add the following benefits in addition to the current medically necessary extraction benefit: Preventive care including cleanings, fluoride, and periodontal scaling; exams; x-rays; restorative care (fillings); partial and full dentures.
“The ability to provide these benefits will be crucial to improving oral health outcomes for SoonerCare members,” said OHCA Dental Director, Dr. Karen Luce. “The overall health, including oral health, of parents affects the health of children into adulthood. Improving oral health of caretakers can lead to a healthier more productive society for future generations."
Preventive care will help maintain and preserve SoonerCare members dental work as children and adolescents and prevent future disease and tooth loss. Restorative procedures will prevent more severe disease which often results in unwarranted dental pain and tooth loss.
Without available dental care, members must endure severe infection and pain, often resulting in costly emergency department visits. Severe dental pain and infection due to lack of dental benefits influences a person’s ability to work and may also lead to increased opioid use and addiction.
Providing additional dental services to adult SoonerCare members will improve both oral and general health and reduce economic and social disparities.
Non-exempt SoonerCare adult members will be charged a $4 copay per visit for dental services. There is no copay for emergency dental services. Copays are due at the time of the visit. Individuals exempted from adult dental services copays include pregnant women, institutionalized individuals, individuals receiving hospice care, American Indians/Alaskan Natives who receive or have ever received services furnished by an Indian health care provider or through referral under contract health services, individuals receiving Medicaid coverage for breast and cervical cancer, individuals under age 21. Providers cannot deny service based on a member’s inability to pay the copay.
To learn more about SoonerCare dental benefits, visit https://oklahoma.gov/ohca/individuals/soonercare-dental.
For more information on copay amounts, visit https://oklahoma.gov/ohca/individuals/mysoonercare/soonercare-benefits.html.
