Medicaid coverage for gum disease treatment and its effects on health
Official title: Medicaid coverage of treatment for periodontal disease and its impact on health outcomes
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11264775 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether expanding Medicaid coverage for gum disease treatment helps adults on Medicaid have better oral and overall health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $185,918 |
| NIH project number | 5R03DE034380-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264775 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults enrolled in Medicaid—especially low-income adults with diagnosed periodontal (gum) disease or chronic conditions like diabetes—are the main group this work focuses on.
✕Less likely to help
People with private dental insurance, children, or adults who are not enrolled in Medicaid or do not have gum disease are unlikely to be directly affected by this specific research.
What this research studies
This project uses Medicaid billing records from 2016–2023 to compare states that started covering periodontal (gum) treatment with states that did not, taking advantage of those timing differences as a natural experiment. Researchers will examine outcomes like tooth loss, dental-related emergency visits, dental care use, and control of chronic conditions such as diabetes. The analysis focuses on low-income adults enrolled in Medicaid to see if adding coverage for scaling, root planing, and maintenance care relates to better real-world health. You would not need to enroll or attend visits, since the study analyzes existing claims data from across states.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could support policy changes that expand dental coverage for Medicaid adults and reduce tooth loss, dental pain, and possibly improve management of chronic diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous observational studies have suggested links between periodontal treatment and improved outcomes such as diabetes control, but results were mixed and limited by confounding, so stronger policy-change based analyses remain limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simon, Lisa Emily — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Simon, Lisa Emily
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.