The Affordable Care Act and Health Insurance Exchanges: Advocacy Efforts for Children's Oral Health

Purpose: To evaluate legislative differences in defining the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) pediatric dental benefit and the role of pediatric advocates across states with different health insurance Exchanges. Methods: Data were collected through public record investigation and confidential health policy expert interviews conducted at the state and federal level. Results: Oral health policy change by the pediatric dental profession requires advocating for the mandatory purchase of coverage through the Exchange, tax subsidy contribution toward pediatric dental benefits, and consistent regulatory insurance standards for financial solvency, network adequacy and provider reimbursement. Conclusions: The pediatric dental profession is uniquely positioned to lead change in oral health policy amidst health care reform through strengthening state level formalized networks with organized dentistry and commercial insurance carriers.