WISCONSIN — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said it is awarding $5.1 million in grants to 14 nonprofit dental clinics throughout the state.

Each clinic will receive between $59,000 and $150,000 through the grants, over the course of three years. The grants, Wisconsin DHS said, will allow the nonprofit clinics to serve more Wisconsinites in need, “including Medicaid members, people who have low income, people with disabilities and people who are uninsured.”

Through the grants, Wisconsin DHS said clinics will be able to serve 7,000 more Wisconsinites over the course of three years. More than 4,700 Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus patients will benefit, as well as 2,700 low-income or uninsured patients. This, Wisconsin DHS said, results in a near-17.5% increase in patients.

“This funding creates more access to important oral health services,” said Dr. Russell Dunkel, Wisconsin state dental director. “In 2021, only one in three Wisconsin Medicaid members ages 3 to 20 received a preventive dental service and, in that same year, seven out of 10 Medicaid members didn’t receive dental care. By making it easier for dental health providers to serve more Medicaid and uninsured patients, we aim to address a critical disparity.”

Wisconsin DHS said the state is also offering “enhanced reimbursement to oral health providers for each service they provide” in an effort to increase the number of Medicaid patients receiving dental care.

“Huge strides could be made in addressing dental health issues in our state if every dentist license in Wisconsin took on one Medicaid patient per week, or even per month,” Wisconsin DHS said.

In Wisconsin, one-in-five kids and one-in-three adults with low income have untreated tooth decay, according to Wisconsin DHS. This can lead to pain and infection or even impact a child’s ability to eat, speak and learn, the department said.

Kids with poor oral health are three times more likely than their peers to be absent from school due to dental pain, per the American Journal of Public Health. Research estimated kids in the U.S. miss a total of 34 million hours of school a year due to “unplanned dental care.”

“This funding won’t address the dental disparity in Wisconsin alone, but increasing access to services is key,” said Paula Tran, state health officer for Wisconsin. “Efforts to increase access to dental care and increase reimbursement for dental services go a long way to helping ensure more Wisconsinites have the opportunity to not only have brighter smiles, but better health today and in the future.”

To see a list of clinics receiving funding, click here.

To find free and low-cost dental care near you, click here.