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Increased Children’S Access To Fluoride Varnish Treatment By Involving Medical Care Providers: Effect Of A Medicaid Policy Change, Christopher Okunseri, Aniko Szabo, Scott Jackson, Nicholas M. Pajewski, Raul I. Garcia

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Background. In 2004, the State of Wisconsin introduced a change to their Medicaid Policy allowing medical care providers to be reimbursed for fluoride varnish treatment provided to Medicaid enrolled children.

Objective. To determine the extent by which a state-level policy change impacted access to fluoride varnish treatment (FVT) for Medicaid enrolled children.

Data Source. The Electronic Data Systems of Medicaid Evaluation and Decision Support database for Wisconsin from 2002 to 2006.

Study Design. We analyzed Wisconsin Medicaid claims for FVT for children between the ages of 1 and 6 years, comparing rates in the prepolicy period (2002–2003) to the period …