Oral Health Care in California

The California Wellness Foundation (Cal Wellness) is one of the few foundations funding efforts to address inequities in oral health care for low-income adults and seniors (Medi-cal/Medicare). Cal Wellness’s investments have established a strong policy foundation for oral health care in the field. To this end, the policy research project is informing the Foundation’s continued support of oral health care public policy efforts. The policy research field scans have focused on examining the following areas:

1. The oral health care needs, opportunities, policy solutions, and roadmap for investing in oral health care advocacy and policy efforts for low-income adult and senior populations.
2. Administrative barriers in the Medi-Cal dental program (Denti-cal), policy solutions, and potential investment strategies.
3. Dental workforce models to improve access to oral health care and modernize the dental workforce.

The field scans are internal reports produced for the Foundation.

The project is funded by a contract from The California Wellness Foundation. Cal Wellness’s mission is to protect and improve the health and wellness of the people of California by increasing access to health care, quality equation, good jobs, healthy environments, and safe neighborhoods.