COLUMBUS, Ohio — Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff have announced a new initiative aimed at enhancing dental care for school-age children in underserved areas, including Highland and Hocking Counties. The initiative, known as the Ohio Children’s Dental Services Pilot Program, was revealed during the Governor’s 2025 State of the State Address and seeks to address critical gaps in pediatric dental care.
Statistics from 2023 show a dire need for such services, with 64% of school-age children on Medicaid in Ohio not visiting a dentist that year. Furthermore, nearly 20% of all schoolchildren in the state were reported to have at least one untreated cavity, affecting their ability to concentrate, socialize, and perform academically.
The pilot program is being tested in nine counties that have been identified as Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas and lacks nonprofit dental clinics offering care to low-income families. Highland and Hocking Counties are included in this pilot, which plans to deploy dental programs directly to schools. These programs will provide screenings, preventative care, and necessary treatments.
Dr. Vanderhoff emphasized the lack of mandatory dental screenings in Ohio schools, pointing out that many children do not receive essential dental care, which can lead to more severe health issues and costly emergency department visits. The pilot program is designed to improve children’s health in some of the most underserved regions of the state.
If the pilot receives the necessary approval from the General Assembly, it could extend vital dental services to as many as 12,000 children in these high-need counties who have not visited a dentist in the past year. Governor DeWine has urged members of the Ohio legislature to support this crucial program, underscoring its potential to significantly impact the health and well-being of Ohio’s children.