The New Mexico Dental Association Foundation is committed to increasing awareness for New Mexicans with acquired and intellectual and development disabilities (ID/DD) of the importance of oral healthcare as an integral part of overall health. By engaging and connecting dental providers, people with disabilities and their families/caregivers, community-based organizations, community leaders, advocates, policy makers, and key stakeholders, together we can improve outcomes, increase quality of life, and improve access to culturally competent oral health care for New Mexicans with special needs.

Accessing quality dental care remains a major challenge for individuals with special needs in New Mexico. In response, the New Mexico Dental Association Foundation, the New Mexico Dental Association, and the University of New Mexico School of Dental Medicine partnered to study the current landscape of care across the state.  Link to the Study

What We Found

Widespread Barriers to Timely Care: Individuals with special needs often struggle to receive timely dental care—particularly in rural or underserved areas, but challenges exist statewide.

The Importance of a Dental Home: Those with an established dental home tend to receive better, more consistent care than those without.

Financial Barriers: Limited coverage and financial resources frequently result in restricted access to necessary treatments—even for patients with a dental home.

Provider Capacity and Resources: Clinics and providers are overwhelmed. While many dental professionals are willing to do more, expanding services is difficult due to low reimbursement rates.

Training & Facility Gaps: Providers identified a lack of training (both for themselves and their staff) and inadequate facilities as key obstacles to offering more special needs care.

Lack of Information: Both patients and providers face challenges navigating care due to poor communication systems and a lack of centralized information resources.

Hospital Access Issues: Dental treatment requiring hospital settings is hard to secure—especially for adults—due to limited availability and institutional prioritization issues.

Heavy Reliance on Medicaid: Most individuals with special needs depend on Medicaid for dental coverage. However, restrictive policies and low provider reimbursements contribute to many of the access problems we see today.

Moving Forward

The task force developed 23 strategic recommendations focused on:

• Expanding information resources
• Supporting Medicaid reform
• Enhancing training for providers
• Promoting resource development
• Improving data tracking and responsiveness to patient needs
  

Together, these efforts aim to create a more inclusive and responsive oral healthcare system for New Mexicans with special needs.

New Mexico Foundation for Dental Health, Education & Research (dba. NM Dental Association Foundation)

PO Box 16854

Albuquerque, NM  87191

Office: (505) 298-7206

Fax: (505) 554-3836

All Content Copyright © 2021, New Mexico Foundation for Dental Health Research and Education, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

All donations are tax-deductible.

EIN 74-3146433

The NMDAF is the charitable arm of the NMDA