Database of State-Level Variation in Medicaid Adult Dental Coverage

This dataset provides a comprehensive overview of state-level variation in adult dental coverage under Medicaid in the United States. While dental services for children are federally required and covered for all eligible children through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), adult dental benefits under Medicaid are optional and vary substantially across states, ranging from no coverage to emergency-only, limited, or comprehensive benefits. The dataset captures Medicaid adult dental benefit policies applicable to non-elderly adults (ages 19–64) and does not reflect coverage for pregnant adults, individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, or adults qualifying through disability-related (SSI) eligibility pathways, whose benefits may differ. The data are compiled from multiple public sources, including state plan amendments, the American Dental Association, the Center for Health Care Strategies, and individual state Medicaid programs. Coverage information is recorded at the monthly level within each year, allowing for identification of within-year policy changes. The dataset includes all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and spans the period from 2010 through 2025.