Updated: February 2024

Author: Office of Oral Health, Vermont Department of Health

This indicator, or population measure, is part of our Healthy Vermonters 2030 data set. Read more about how this data helps us understand and improve the well-being of people in Vermont on the Healthy Vermonters 2030 webpage.

Because this data is meant to show how the health of our state changes during the decade from 2020-2030, some indicators may have very few data points for now. Keep checking back to see the progress our public health system and partners are making.

We want to see the percentage of people who don’t see a dentist because they can’t afford it go down to 5% or lower by 2030. There is only one data point for this indicator because this is the first time it’s included as an indicator in Healthy Vermonters.

Increasing use of oral health care is a Healthy People 2030 Leading Health Indicator. It is a high priority objective to drive action toward improving overall health and well-being.

Looking for more data?

• See the corresponding national Healthy People 2030 objective for the proportion of people who can't get dental care when they need it.

According to the Health Policy Institute, cost is the main barrier to obtaining dental care. Untreated dental disease can progress and lead to serious life-threatening illness. Also, untreated dental disease creates a chronic infection in the body which can make other chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes more difficult to manage. This indicator data can be used to inform Office of Oral Health and partners’ strategies and activities towards improving oral health care access.

This indicator is informed by data that is broken down into different categories that illustrate disparities.

According to the 2021 Vermont Household Health Insurance Survey, people with a disability under age 65 and LGBTQ Vermonters are more likely not to receive many types of care because of cost than Vermonters overall. People of color are more likely not to receive routine medical care or dental care; black and African American Vermonters are more likely not to receive mental health care. Vermonters who identify as American Indian or Alaskan Native are more likely not to received routine medical care, mental health care or dental care due to cost. American Indian or Alaska Native Vermont adults were most likely to delay needed dental care because of affordability issues (26%) vs. 8% overall.

Learn more about Older Vermonters age 65+ delaying dental care due to cost.

One of the goals in Vermont’s State Oral Health Plan is to “Increase access to dental care for all Vermonters”. Cost is cited as the biggest barrier to accessing oral health care. Preventing dental disease, improving oral health care insurance coverage, and ensuring that Vermonters who have Medicaid insurance understand their dental benefits are all cited as activities in the plan.

The target value of 5% was determined with consideration of the CDC’s Healthy People 2030: Target-setting method selection flowchart. This 10% improvement seems ambitious, but reasonable considering the activities addressing oral health care access in the Vermont State Oral Health Plan. Data from the periodic Vermont Household Health Insurance Survey will be analyzed as it becomes available to track progress.