Letters to Representative Barragan and Senator Cardin to support the Medicare Dental Benefit Act
Information about this website: Following the March 2026 merger of Patient Advocate Foundation and the PAN Foundation, this website is now a part of Patient Advocate Foundation and remains active during our website transition.
Where to find information during our transition:
- About the merged organization: uniting.patientadvocate.org
- Financial assistance: totalassist.org
- Additional direct patient services and resources: patientadvocate.org
- Education: panfoundation.org and education.patientadvocate.org
- Clinical trials education: clinicaltrials.panfoundation.org
- Advocacy: npaf.org
- Research: patientinsightinstitute.org
Two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries lack oral health coverage, and 49% of Medicare beneficiaries have not seen a dentist in the last 12 months (as of 2017).
By creating a specific dental benefit in Medicare, millions of beneficiaries on fixed incomes will be able to maintain their oral health that is critical to their overall health.
Untreated cavities and gum disease can exacerbate certain diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and lead to chronic pain, infections, and loss of teeth.