Kansas Earns a "C" on Oral Health for Fifth Consecutive Year
For the fifth consecutive year, Kansas has received a grade of "C" on the annual Kansas Oral Health Report Card, published by Oral Health Kansas. The report evaluates the state's oral health outcomes against national benchmarks, highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges in ensuring all Kansans have access to essential dental care.
“The data shows us where Kansas is making strides and where more research, advocacy, and education are needed,” said Tanya Dorf Brunner, executive director of Oral Health Kansas. “While we are seeing some progress, particularly for children enrolled in KanCare, access to oral health care remains a significant challenge for many Kansas adults.”
While there was no significant change—around 1% or less—in the percentage of children receiving preventive dental care from 2024 to 2025, the increase in KanCare (Medicaid) enrollment indicates a positive trend. However, fewer than half of eligible children are receiving preventive dental visits, demonstrating that more work is needed to expand access and encourage utilization of services.
Since the first Kansas Oral Health Report Card five years ago, there has been almost no change in outcomes for adults. Approximately two-thirds of Kansas adults had a dental visit in the past year, a figure roughly equivalent to the percentage of Kansas adults with dental insurance.
A pressing concern is the lack of a robust KanCare dental provider network, especially for people with disabilities. A positive step forward is that KanCare managed care organizations are now required to track and publish lists of sedation dental providers, which is especially important for people with disabilities.
One of the best ways to improve these grades is to make it easier for the hundreds of thousands of Kansans insured through KanCare to access oral health care. Kansas lawmakers are considering a proposal to increase KanCare dental reimbursement rates to align with private dental insurance rates. This measure could significantly improve provider participation and expand access to dental care for Kansans in need. Oral Health Kansas encourages residents to ask their lawmakers to support this effort.
A full analysis of the 2025 Kansas Oral Health Report Card can be found here.
About Oral Health Kansas
Oral Health Kansas is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving oral health for all Kansans through advocacy, education, and public policy initiatives. Learn more at www.oralhealthkansas.org.
