AAPD recognizes the significant barriers to oral health care faced by many rural communities. Compared with their urban peers, children and families in rural areas are more likely to live in poverty, experience unmet health care needs, and lack access to health care providers—particularly pediatric specialists and dental professionals. They may also face transportation challenges, limited dental benefits, fewer providers who accept Medicaid, and insufficiently integrated health care services. These barriers contribute to persistent oral health disparities. Expanding access to high-quality, preventive, and comprehensive oral health services is essential to improving health outcomes for children in rural communities. 

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