For Rural Seniors, Improving Overall Health Requires Improving Oral Health Care
By Cheryl Fish-Parcham, Melissa Burroughs,
12.18.2018
Oral health matters for seniors in rural America. In rural areas, nearly one-fifth of residents are 65 and over. This population faces major barriers to good oral health, including cost, lack of dental coverage, and limited access to providers. Without addressing these barriers, rural seniors’ overall health is worse, and our health care system is paying the price. Our new factsheet explains rural seniors’ barriers to oral health and the solutions policymakers can take to address them.