Maryland Oral Health Plan, 2026-2030
The Maryland Oral Health Plan (MOHP) is the state’s strategic roadmap for improving oral health, advancing health equity and guiding coordinated efforts across Maryland’s oral health community. It is developed by the Maryland Dental Action Coalition (MDAC) in partnership with state, regional and local stakeholders. The MOHP sets forth goals, strategies and objectives to ensure Marylanders have access to affordable, high-quality oral health care. The plan focuses on three core priorities: Access to Care, Oral Disease and Injury Prevention and Oral Health Literacy and Education.
The 2026-2030 MOHP is the third statewide oral health plan developed in partnership with the Maryland Department of Health/Office of Oral Health, following the 2011 and 2018 versions. Each plan builds upon achievements from the previous one, addressing emerging challenges and leveraging opportunities to strengthen oral health for all.
The MOHP is a broad roadmap, rather than a prescriptive list of actions. This encourages innovative implementation strategies to meet the needs of Maryland’s diverse regions and communities.
Summary of Findings
Maryland benefits from strong leadership, committed partnerships and innovative policy initiatives that continue to drive statewide advancements in oral health. Significant progress has been made since 2018, including reestablishment of comprehensive adult dental coverage under Medicaid, two consecutive years dental reimbursement rate increases in the state budget, and broader practice authority for dental hygienists. Maryland has made incremental progress in integrating oral health care and medical care. A range of initiatives have been implemented to educate dental and medical care clinicians and pilot the integration of oral health into medical care settings and vice versa, which have laid the groundwork for broader system changes. Despite these advances, workforce shortages, geographic and racial disparities and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to limit access — especially in rural areas and Baltimore City. Rising rates of tooth decay among children highlight the need for renewed focus and collaboration.
To improve oral health in Maryland, the MOHP outlines strategies in three focus areas.
Access to Oral Health Care
Maryland residents need access to affordable, comprehensive oral health care to effectively address oral disease and improve their overall health and quality of life. The goals and strategies in this area focus on addressing gaps in access to oral health care for Maryland communities.
- Goal 1: Increase the number of Marylanders with dental coverage.
- Goal 2: Improve access to oral health care by enhancing covered services when financially feasible.
- Goal 3: Increase the number of dental providers that participate in Medicaid.
- Goal 4: Increase dental provider participation in private insurance.
- Goal 5: Build a sustainable dental professional workforce.
- Goal 6: Accelerate integration of oral health care and primary care.
Oral Disease and Injury Prevention
Prevention of oral disease and injury is essential for good oral health and is especially important for people with special health needs. The goals and strategies in this area focus on advancing evidence-based oral disease and injury prevention strategies through environmental and community interventions, and foster collaboration.
- Goal 1: Advance social, physical and economic environments that reduce disparities and enhance oral health equity for all Marylanders.
- Goal 2: Continue the current recommended level of water fluoridation for public water supplies in Maryland.
- Goal 3: Improve oral disease and injury prevention by promoting oral health literacy and education programs.
- Goal 4: Engage stakeholders in creating and implementing state and local policies to improve oral health for all to reduce oral disease and injuries.
Oral Health Literacy and Education
Maryland residents need access to accurate, easy-to-understand information to prevent oral disease and obtain affordable oral health care. The goals and strategies in this area focus on increasing personal and organizational health literacy, emphasizing the oral-systemic connection and its impact on overall health, and calling for routine assessment to monitor oral health outcomes.
- Goal 1: Increase the ability of individuals to find, understand, and use health information and services to inform oral health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.
- Goal 2: Increase opportunities for organizations to enable individuals to find, understand, and use information to make decisions about their oral health.
- Goal 3: Educate students in health care and health-affiliated fields and health care providers in Maryland about the oral-systemic connection and its impact on overall health.
- Goal 4: Conduct routine assessments to monitor the impact of strategies on the understanding, health outcomes and health decisions of individuals, populations and organizations informing interventions.
Want to get involved in improving oral health in Maryland?
Contact MDAC at info@mdac.us to join in the work to implement the Maryland Oral Health Plan.
