Lexington, KY - There are approximately 4-million people in Kentucky and 1.7 million of them have no dental insurance. That’s more than 10 times the number of people who attended the 2012 Kentucky Derby, according to a new study funded by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.
More than half (51 percent) of Kentucky adults lack coverage for dental care. About 4 in 10 (39 percent) told the foundation’s latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) that they do not have a personal dentist or oral health provider. And among them, 79 percent said their last dental visit was more than five years ago.
The KHIP study notes that as age, education and income increase the percentage of Kentuckians reporting that they have dental insurance and a regular source of oral healthcare also increases.
92 percent of Kentucky adults say they do not owe money for dental bills, but nearly 4 in 10 (37 percent) report that someone in their household skipped dental care of checkups in the last 12 months because of the cost.
The poll finds that 61 percent of Kentucky adults visited a dentist within the past year, compared with 70 percent of adults nationwide (according to the Centers for Disease Control.)
The report notes that routine dental care is essential in maintaining overall health and well-being. “Poor oral health can have a negative effect on a person’s nutrition, appearance and speech,” it said. “Pain and suffering because of poor oral health can lower quality of life by limiting one’s ability to sleep, work and socialize.” The report added that the consequences can include risk of infection, heart disease and death.