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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

My intense love for candy, cakes, and everything in between started as a child. I simply couldn't go one day without something sweet to eat. But my love for all things sweet took a toll on my teeth. My dentist diagnosed me with seven cavities, each one a different size and depth. After sitting through four long dental appointments, I decided to make a change. I now monitor my diet and only eat things that benefit my oral health. I'm here to help you take better care of your teeth. My blog offers tips on how to improve your diet, maintain good oral hygiene, and many other topics. Hopefully, you can learn to overcome your bad habits just as I did. Good luck with your future dental health.

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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

How To Find A Local Dentist That Takes Medicaid

by Eric Bailey

Finding local dentists is rarely difficult. Finding a local dentist that takes one type of insurance is not usually difficult either. However, finding a dentist that takes Medicaid, the state's health insurance plan for low-income families, is much more difficult. Here is how to find such a dentist. 

Call the Toll-Free Number on the Back of Your Medicaid Card

The first thing you should do is find your Medicaid insurance card. On the back of it, there is a toll-free number you can call. The representative on the other end of the line will ask for your member number on the front of your card. Then he/she will ask why you have called.

Ask for a list of dentists in your area that take Medicaid. In some states, there are several dentists that will take Medicaid. In other states, you may be limited to less than ten options in the entire state. (The reason for that is because it is very difficult to become certified by the state to bill the Medicaid program. Ergo, most dentists refuse it.)

Speak to Your Caseworker

Speak to your social services caseworker. Your caseworker might suggest some low-income or sliding scale fee dental clinics that will take Medicaid. Sometimes these clinics do not advertise that they take this form of insurance because they want to help others with no insurance at all. Still, it is worth a try, especially if any of these suggestions from the caseworker are much closer to you than the clinics mentioned by Medicaid's call center associate.

Call New Dentists in the Area

New dentists and dental clinics in your area may take Medicaid. Because they are so new, they might not be listed as of yet on your state's roster of Medicaid-certified dentists. Sometimes it can take up to three months before a newly-certified dentist to make the list while the state updates its records. For that reason, be sure to call all of the new dentists and dental clinics in your area and ask them if they can take this insurance.

Talk to Other Low-Income Families to See What Dentist They Visit

From time to time, you will run into other low-income families. When you do, you can strike up a conversation about their dentist. Ask them who they see for dental and oral health under the Medicaid plan. That may help you find the dentist you need.

For more information, visit websites like http://www.silveradofamilydental.com.

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