Dental benefits are here for TennCare, but finding a dentist could be a big problem

Tennessee dentists are in demand like never before. Starting this month, all adults on TennCare have coverage — roughly 600,000 people with new benefits — and many are eager to find care.

Tennessee has gone from being one of the only states with no dental coverage for most adults on Medicaid to comprehensive coverage, expected to cost the state $75 million in its first year.

“They’re going to be able to get services such as cleanings, exams, x-rays, fillings, crowns, root canals, partial dentures, complete dentures, extractions and more,” says Dr. Crystal Manners, TennCare’s dental director. She encourages people on TennCare to use the benefit. “The longer that someone waits for a dental visit, the more likely they are to end up with a dental problem.”

The new benefit was proposed by Gov. Bill Lee alongside his “Healthy Smiles Initiative,” which acknowledged the reduced job prospects and overall health for Tennesseans who need major dental work. The state is also investing in dental schools and placing dentists in underserved — often rural — parts of the state.

But finding a nearby dentist can be a challenge in Tennessee. Anecia Love of Clarksville has cavities and cracked teeth from a calcium deficiency during pregnancy. She says she would welcome an appointment as soon as possible and has tried the “find a dentist” tool recommended by the state.

“I have not been able to find a dentist through TennCare, through DentaQuest, here in Clarksville that take Medicaid,” she says.

TennCare is trying to entice more dentists to accept patients, increasing reimbursement rates 6.5% this year. But historically, fewer than a third of Tennessee dentists have even enrolled, with many citing low pay which is usually less than half of commercial insurance rates.