Topics

Addressing Oral Health in Colorado

Nearly 40 percent of Coloradans lacked dental insurance coverage in 2011, up from 37 percent in 2008-2009.
March 10, 2023

Colorado has identified improving oral health as one of the state’s “Winnable Battles.”  State agencies, including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and not-for-profit partners, including oral health providers, foundations and advocates, are promoting work that highlights the benefits of community water fluoridation, that addresses workforce issues and that increases access for vulnerable Coloradans such as children and the elderly.

The 2011 Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS), a program of The Colorado Trust, provides new insights and information on access and coverage for oral health. The survey reveals that a growing number of Coloradans don’t have dental insurance. Nearly 40 percent of Coloradans lacked dental insurance coverage in 2011, up from 37 percent in 2008-2009. By contrast, about 16 percent of Coloradans were without health insurance.  While dental insurance is just one factor influencing access to oral health care, Coloradans with dental insurance were more likely to visit a dental professional than Coloradans without dental insurance.

Stay tuned for further CHAS analyses on oral health. For more information on the Colorado Health Access Survey, click here