Disparities in Dental Health and Access to Care

Dental health in the United States has improved substantially in the past few decades, but not everyone has benefited equally. People of color, residents of low-income and rural communities, people with disabilities, and the elderly suffer disproportionately from tooth decay and gum disease and are less likely to visit a dentist than urban, white, and more well-to-do Americans. To help close the gaps in dental care access, Pew works to understand the issues driving disparities in dental care.