Dental Coverage and Dental Care Utilization Among Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries With and Without Diabetes United States

Objectives To examine dental visits, dental coverage, and out-of-pocket (OOP) dental expenditures among Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees with and without diabetes. Methods We analyzed 2015–2019 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data for MA enrollees aged ≥65 years ( N = 12,312). Outcomes included any dental visit, any OOP expenditure, and total OOP spending among those with positive expenditures. Multivariable regression models examined associations between diabetes, dental coverage, and utilization outcomes. Results Diabetes was associated with lower odds of having a dental visit (AOR = 0.84), whereas dental coverage was associated with higher odds of dental visits (AOR = 1.85) and zero OOP expenditures (AOR = 3.36). No significant interaction effects were observed between diabetes and dental coverage. Conclusions Dental coverage alone may be insufficient to improve dental care utilization among adults with diabetes. Integrating oral health into chronic disease management may improve dental utilization among older adults with diabetes.