The Wisconsin Oral Health Coalition (WOHC) formed a workgroup in 2024 to address oral health access and outcomes for individuals with special health care needs. These individuals often face significant barriers to care, including long waitlists, limited provider availability, and insufficient Medicaid reimbursement. The workgroup identified key opportunities for improvement, such as implementing Medicaid code D9997 for specialized care, establishing regional Centers of Excellence for specialized training and services, funding caregiver education, and increasing Medicaid reimbursement for in-office sedation. The report emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts to reduce oral health disparities and improve outcomes for this population across Wisconsin.
