Wisconsin dentists say some patients have a hard time getting treatment because the state hasn't given the industry the same funding when compared to other health services.
A four-county pilot program launched in 2016 gave some dentists in the state higher Medicaid rates. State officials say a formal evaluation of the program's impact on improving access will be released later this year.
Federal sources say less than a third of Wisconsin children on Medicaid got dental care in 2015, the lowest rate in the U.S. Many adults end up in the emergency room for dental care.
Monica Hebl is with the Wisconsin Dental Association. She says low-income patients often don't see dental care as a priority because they have more pressing needs.