Oral Health Care

Medicaid Dental Home

Iowa law requires that children under the age of 12 years who receive Medicaid must have a dental home. An examination of the oral cavity and dentition, and teaching about oral/dental health care should occur at every visit. Refer to dental home by 12 months or within 6 months of eruption of first tooth. Ask about dental home at every visit.

I-Smile Initiative

I-Smile is the oral health component of the statewide Maternal Health and Child and Adolescent Health programs, managed by Iowa HHS. The I-Smile Dental Home Initiative was created to assist with locating, training and matching children, particularly young children, with dental providers in Iowa. They use dental hygienist care coordinators to assist physicians and families find dental homes. I-Smile Coordinators are assigned regionally to all counties in Iowa.

IA Administrative Code

I-Smile Dental Home

The Iowa Administrative Code outlines rules and procedures related to the "I-Smile dental home" concept, which aims to improve access to dental care for underserved children. These rules focus on prevention, education, care coordination, and treatment to bridge the gap in dental care access.

641-51.1 - Public Health Department (641); scroll down to Dental Screening (Chapter 51)

Periodicity Schedule of Dental Services

Medicaid-Enrolled Children

Iowa’s Periodicity Schedule of Dental Services for Medicaid-enrolled children identifies the types of services recommended based upon the age of a child and the risk for dental disease. These service recommendations were developed using information from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Iowa’s definition of a dental home. AAP also provides Oral Health Practice Tools for guidance on the oral health exam. Download a pdf of Iowa's Medicaid Dental Periodicity Schedule for Children.

Fluoride Varnish

AAP recommends fluoride varnish. See AAP Dentistry Policies and Guidelines on the use of fluoride and prevention of early childhood caries. Once teeth are present, fluoride varnish may be applied to all children every 3-6 months, from 6 months to 21 years old, in the primary care or dental office. Indications for fluoride use are noted in Fluoride Use in Caries Prevention in the Primary Care Setting.

I-Smile Training

Iowa Medicaid reimburses physicians and nurse practitioners for application of fluoride varnish in conjunction with an EPSDT screening. This I-Smile training video from Iowa HHS demonstrates the application of fluoride varnish during a clinic visit.

Learn about Community Water Fluoridation in Iowa. Find water system information for Iowa counties on the CDC My Water's Fluoride website.

Dental Wellness Plan

Dental benefits for Iowa Medicaid members are provided through two dental carriers, Delta Dental and MCNA Dental. Both dental carriers offer the same benefits and have their own network of dentists and dental providers. Kids, age 18 and under, are enrolled in Dental Wellness Plan Kids.

Delta Dental

Dental Wellness Plan Kids

MCNA Dental