In order to become the healthiest state in the nation, Virginia must continue to collaboratively address its problems related to oral health. The 2022 Virginia Oral Health Report Card compares Virginia's performance on nine key oral health indicators with national benchmarks, equipping advocates with a better understanding of where the Commonwealth thrives and needs improvement. The 2022 Report Card builds on the data and momentum from the first one, released in 2016.
Virginia scored a C+ when compared to national data. We can do better! The Report Card is a tool to track our progress, renew our focus, and spark innovations to improve oral health in Virginia.
2022 Virginia Oral Health Report Card Indicators
Outlined below are the latest rates and grades for each 2022 Report Card indicator. When appropriate, the flip side compares the 2022 rate/grade with that of the 2016 Report Card.
27% (C)
of children aged 1-2 had a preventive dental visit through Medicaid
Improvement
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, 24% of children aged 1-2 had a preventive dental visit through Medicaid.
59% (B)
of children and teens aged 3-20 had a preventive dental visit through Medicaid
No Direct Comparison
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, this indicator included children aged 1-20 (53%, C). It cannot be directly compared to the 2022 measure.
Coming Soon
Third graders who experienced tooth decay
Data collection delayed due to COVID
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, Virginia scored a C with 47% of third graders experiencing tooth decay. We will update this indicator when data are available.
Coming Soon
Third graders who have dental sealants on permanent molars
Data collection delayed due to COVID
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, Virginia scored an A with 52% of third graders having dental sealants. We will update this indicator when data are available.
3% (NB*)
of Medicaid pediatric medical providers applied fluoride varnish last year
No Direct Comparison
The data collection timeframe changed between 2016-2022. In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, this indicator scored 5% (NB).
96% (A)
of people on public water systems have fluoridated water
No Change
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, this indicator also scored 96% (A).
48% (C)
of pregnant people had a teeth cleaning during pregnancy
No Direct Comparison
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, this indicator measured the number of pregnant people who visited the dentist (44%, D). Since the survey item changed, these cannot be directly compared.
47% (C)
of adults aged 45-64 lost at least one tooth because of tooth decay or gum disease
Improvement
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, 50% (C) of adults aged 45-64 had lost at least one tooth to dental disease.
31% (B)
of adults do not have dental coverage
Improvement
In the 2016 Oral Health Report Card, 38% (C) of adults did not have dental coverage.
*NB = No Benchmark. No national benchmark exists, so Virginia's rate cannot be compared to national data and thus receives a score of NB.
What's New in 2022
Virginia scored a C+ in the first Oral Health Report Card in 2016, but since then, there have been marked improvements to the Virginia oral health system:
- In 2019, Virginia expanded enrollment eligibility for the Medicaid program
- Medical assistants could be reimbursed for applying fluoride varnish in medical offices in 2020
- A comprehensive adult dental benefit was added to Medicaid in 2021
Together, these statewide changes made health care, including oral health, more accessible and affordable for hundreds of thousands of Virginians and led to improvements in the rates of several Report Card indicators.
A Focus on Equity
Systemic threats to health, like racism and unequal access to dental care or education, contribute to health inequities in Virginia. The 2022 Report Card breaks down the data to show differing oral health outcomes by several factors, including race/ethnicity, education, disability, and geography. Centering the communities who are inequitably burdened with poor oral health outcomes will help us find realistic solutions to build a more equitable public health care system in Virginia.
Methodology and Grading
To develop the 2022 Virginia Oral Health Report Card, Catalyst convened a workgroup of invested stakeholders to update the indicators, identify state-level data sources, and analyze oral health data.
Workgroup members then calculated a grade for each indicator by comparing the Virginia data to national benchmarks. It is important to note that this grading methodology, although robust, is subjective. Furthermore, the grade does not reflect the performance of any particular agency or agencies. The primary objectives behind assigning grades are to raise awareness about oral health issues and to continue forward momentum on various promising opportunities to improve oral health outcomes and care delivery.
Want more information?
Find more details about indicator-specific data, grading criteria, and national benchmarks in the full Oral Health Report Card report.
2016 Virginia Oral Health Report Card
In 2016, Catalyst and its partners released the first Virginia Oral Health Report Card. Virginia earned a C+ across the nine measures, and the report card highlighted significant inequities by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age group.
