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Ryan White Dental Safety Net Programs

Understanding the History and Securing the Future of Ryan White Dental Safety Net Programs

This white paper reviews the Ryan White dental programs, the populations served by the programs, the federal funding streams for oral health and the opportunities and challenges presented by health care reform.

Key Policy Points

  • The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program encompasses the Dental Reimbursement Program and the Community-Based Dental Partnership Program, created in response to gaps in dental care for people living with HIV/AIDS. The program is literally the only path to critical preventive dental services and treatment for thousands of adults in the United States who need the care the most.
  • The Dental Reimbursement Program served 41,464 clients in 2013, of which most did not have the financial resources to pay for the dental care they received and/or lacked dental insurance.
  • In 2013, Dental Reimbursement Program grantees, such as academic dental institutions, were awarded only 26.10% of their non-reimbursed costs, resulting in a total o $32,387,629 in non-reimbursed costs.