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Why Prop 56 Works
Twenty years ago, California was 47th in the nation for providing dental care to low-income children. Voters took action, passing Proposition 56 to encourage more dentists to serve kids on Medi-Cal.
That investment worked:
✔ 34% increase in Medi-Cal Dental providers statewide since 2017
✔ 40% drop in school absences due to dental pain
✔ Thousands more children receiving preventive and restorative care
What's At Stake
Proposed cuts threaten to undo this progress, eliminating up to $350 million in funding for children’s dental care, risking $150 million in federal matching funds, and potentially driving out 13,000 dentists who serve kids through Medi-Cal.
Rolling back Prop 56 means fewer dentists, fewer visits, and fewer healthy kids
About Us
Hands Off Kids Health is a coalition of advocates, providers, and parents dedicated to protecting access to care for California’s most vulnerable children.
Our mission is simple:
To ensure that every child regardless of income has access to quality, preventive dental care that keeps them healthy and thriving.
"Untreated dental issues lead to pain, infections, and missed school days.
Without preventive care, kids end up in emergency rooms, where the average visit costs $2,453—far more than a check-up."
Facts
Dental pain is one of the most common and most preventable health problems facing California’s children.
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California ranks 47th nationally for children with untreated cavities. Nearly 15% of kids each year.
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Fewer than half of children on Medi-Cal see a dentist annually, falling short of the state’s 60% target.
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Ten counties in California have no Medi-Cal Dental provider at all.
The consequences are real:
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869,000 school days lost each year due to dental pain.
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School districts lose an estimated $60 million in attendance-based funding.
Dental pain keeps kids out of school.
News
Partners
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Take Action
Join the movement to protect children’s healthcare.
Cutting kids’ dental care isn’t just bad policy, it’s harmful, short-sighted, and wrong. When we invest in preventive care, we save money and save lives. Every dollar spent on prevention saves $8 to $50 later, funding Medi-Cal Dental is one of the smartest investments California can make.