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Dental Health has been consistently identified in local needs assessments as a major unmet need in Santa Barbara County. Oral diseases and conditions including cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss, remain unnecessary obstacles to better health. While significant improvements have been made in preventing and controlling dental cavities and gum disease during the past two decades, many in Santa Barbara County have been left behind. We know that people with no dental care coverage are less likely to get preventive dental care and treatment. Across the county, more than 42% of adults and 30% of children have no dental care coverage. This rate is even higher in the Hispanic population with almost 58% of Hispanic adults and 40% of Hispanic children having no dental care coverage.


Almost 25% of adults and 8% of children have untreated dental problems. Indeed, 30% of adults and 27% of children have not had a routine dental check-up for more than a year.

Was there a time during the last 12 months when you needed to see a dentist, but could not because of cost?
Cost prevented18% of adults and 9% of children from visiting the dentist in the past year.

 


 Do you currently have untreated dental problems?
Access to dental care is a key problem in Santa Barbara County. Almost one quarter of adults report having untreated dental problems.

 


Do you have any kind of insurance coverage that pays for some or all of your routine dental care, including dental insurance, prepaid plans such as HMOs, or government plans such as Medi-Cal or Medicare?
Almost half of adults under age 30 report they have no dental care insurance coverage.

 

Summary: Dental Health

• 42% of adults and 30% of children in SB County have no dental insurance. Among Hispanic residents, 58% of adults and 41% of children have no dental coverage.

• More than 30% of adults and 27% of children haven't had a routine dental check-up for more than a year.

• 18% of adults reported that cost prevented them from visiting a dentist in the past year.

• Almost 25% of adults and 8% of children have untreated dental problems

 

 

  

 

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