NC Child Oral Health Parent Survey 2026

Despite its vital importance, children’s oral health outcomes in North Carolina are not improving. Children still experience high levels of untreated tooth decay and too often cannot access the preventive care that is imperative to catching and treating decay early. Access to oral health providers that accept Medicaid is a significant barrier to families being able to receive crucial preventive care.

Thank you for your willingness to participate in this survey. Below you will find information about NC Child, our research goals, and the resources you may need to complete the survey. We need your support for children’s oral health in North Carolina! These survey results will provide invaluable information for continued advocacy and education.

This survey is in partnership with the North Carolina Dental Society, Access Dental Care, and the NC Oral Health Collaborative.

About NC Child:

NC Child is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We are North Carolina’s only statewide, multi-issue policy advocacy organization that advocates for policies that improve the lives of all North Carolina children. NC Child works towards our mission primarily through research, data collection, legislative advocacy, and community engagement. We concentrate our advocacy work on four primary issue areas: family economic security, nurturing homes and communities, high-quality early childhood education, and healthy children, which includes youth oral health outcomes.

Research Goals:
In 2024, NC Child held an oral health listening tour, where we held 20 focus groups all across North Carolina about youth oral health outcomes. We spoke with parents, oral health providers, community leaders, and public health personnel about factors that influence youth oral health in their communities, and what measures can help address the problem. In 2025, NC Child continued this work in holding focus groups with school personnel, parents of children with Medicaid coverage, and children to learn their perspectives when it comes to oral health. We also held key informant interviews with dentists across the state to understand their experience with Medicaid. This survey will supplement our findings from qualitative focus groups and provide us with additional context when it comes to access to oral health with Medicaid.

About the Survey:
This survey will discuss common barriers to oral health access, especially with Medicaid coverage. It will also touch on the quality of dental care received, social determinants of health, and perceptions around oral health. This survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete, and responses will be kept confidential. Only the NC Child team will have access to your information.