Ohio and Georgia Pay Less for Dental Care

than the National Average

The annual amount spent by Georgians and Ohioans or their insurers for dental care in 2006 averaged about $150 less than the national average of $607, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The average annual dental expenditure for each Georgian who had dental care was $466, while for Ohioans, it was $474.

The federal agency’s analysis of average annual dental expenditures in the 10 states with the highest populations in 2006 also found that:

• Michigan had the highest proportion of residents with dental expenses (52.5 percent) and Texas had the least (30 percent).
• Compared to the national average of 49 percent for out-of-pocket payment for dental care, Floridians paid more (62.5 percent) and Pennsylvanians paid less (42 percent).

• Nationally, private insurers paid 43 percent of all dental expenditures.
AHRQ, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, improves the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. The data in this AHRQ News and Numbers summary are taken from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a detailed source of information on the health services used by Americans, the frequency with which they are used, the cost of those services, and how they are paid.

For more information, go to Dental Expenditures in the 10 Largest States, 2006.