Smile Alabama! Initiative: Interim Results from a Program To Increase Children's Access to Dental Care.

An Alabama initiative aimed to improve access to oral health care for Medicaid-eligible children through four components: improved Medicaid claims processing, increased reimbursement for providers, outreach and educational activities to support providers, and parent and patient education about children's oral health. In the first 3 program years, enrollment of targeted Medicaid children increased 33 percent and the number of participating dental providers increased 39 percent. (SV)