State Action for Oral Health Access, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), supported six state-based demonstration projects that tested innovative and comprehensive ways to increase access to oral health services for low income and minority populations and children and adults with disabilities served through Medicaid, SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) and the health care safety net.

The six participating states were Arizona, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Vermont. They received funding from 2002 through 2006.

Key Results
The program's final report, Catalyzing Improvements in Oral Health Care: Best Practices from the State Action for Oral Health Access Initiative, presents the following results (names of states were not included in the report):

• Five of the states significantly increased the percentage of children under the age of 6 enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP who were receiving dental care.
• Four of the states significantly reduced the percentage of children receiving dental care who had one or more teeth extracted during the study period.
• Four of the states significantly improved preventive oral health services for the Medicaid population in all age categories (under 6, 6 to 14, 15 to 20, over 20 years).
• One state significantly improved its diagnostic, prevention and treatment services for children under the age of 6 enrolled in Medicaid, while two other states improved two of the three types of services for children under the age of 6.
• Two states significantly improved diagnostic, prevention and treatment services for children 6 to 14 years of age.
• One state significantly improved the use of all oral health services for all age groups.

Program Management
The program was managed by the Center for Health Care Strategies in Hamilton, N.J.

Funding
The program was authorized by the RWJF Board of Trustees in October 2001 for up to $8.2 million.