The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services announced an important update for Medical Assistance (MA) dental providers.
Effective immediately, the Department is adopting the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) dental periodicity schedule as the standard guideline for pediatric oral health care. With this change, Pennsylvania now joins 20 other states that have aligned their policies with the AAPD nationally recognized standards, ensuring that MA beneficiaries under 21 receive consistent, evidence-based preventive dental care. This includes the first dental exam by the eruption of the first tooth (and no later than 12 months of age), with follow-up visits every six months or as indicated by individual risk.
Providers should refer directly to the AAPD schedule when delivering services and consult managed care organizations for any billing-related questions. The Department will monitor AAPD updates and issue further guidance as needed.
Click here to review the full bulletin.
Click here to view the AAPD’s schedule.