The relationship between altruistic attitudes and dentists' Medicaid participation

BACKGROUND: The authors investigated the role of private practitioners in the dental safety net, including the provision of care for Medicaid enrollees and attitudinal factors that affect participation.

METHODS: In 2013, the authors sent a mixed-mode survey to all general dentists in Iowa assessing their current Medicaid participation and factors affecting participation, including attitudinal statements about altruism, the Medicaid program, and the government's role in providing access to dental care.

RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of responding dentists accepted new Medicaid-enrolled patients; dentists living in nonmetropolitan areas were significantly more likely to accept Medicaid than were those in metropolitan areas. Results from a logistic regression model demonstrated that participating dentists scored significantly higher in altruistic attitudes and perceived problems with Medicaid as less important.

CONCLUSIONS: Dentists who accepted Medicaid-enrolled patients had significantly more positive attitudes about Medicaid administration and altruistic attitudes in general. Investigators in future studies should examine how these attitudes are shaped by educational and professional experiences.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dentists' perceptions about Medicaid potentially are modifiable by changing program policies in ways to improve access for vulnerable populations, including new Medicaid enrollees.