Findings from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in the Area of Managed Care Described (Geospatial Access To Oral Health Care In Virginia Insights From Driving and Public Transit Analysis): Managed Care

2026 FEB 11 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Researchers detail new data in Managed Care. According to news reporting from Blacksburg, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The authors aimed to investigate whether driving and public transit access to dental clinics differ for all dental clinics vs those participating in Medicaid, and whether sociodemographic factors are associated with driving and public transit accessibility in Virginia. Six regions in Virginia were selected for this study on the basis of the availability of transportation data.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), “A modified two-step floating catchment area method considering vehicle ownership was applied to measure geospatial accessibility scores for the overall dental clinics and those participating in Medicaid. Inequality in accessibility among census block groups was analyzed using Gini coefficients. Spatial error models were used to estimate associations between sociodemographic variables and accessibility scores. Public transit accessibility to oral health care services is lower than driving, regardless of Medicaid acceptance. Driving also provides more equitable access than public transit. Spatial error models revealed region-specific associations. Access to oral health care services is more challenging using public transportation than driving, especially in smaller regions of and among Medicaid beneficiaries in Virginia. The exploration of the associated factors emphasizes the need for tailored interventions according to region. Practical Implications.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “To improve access to oral health care in Virginia, efforts should focus on encouraging dentists to accept Medicaid, establishing new dental clinics near public transportation hubs and major roads, using ride-sharing support, and advocating for the development of robust public transportation systems.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Geospatial Access To Oral Health Care In Virginia Insights From Driving and Public Transit Analysis. Journal of the American Dental Association, 2026;157(1). Journal of the American Dental Association can be contacted at: Amer Dental Assoc, 211 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Junghwan Kim, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Dept. of Geography, 221 Wallace Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States. Additional authors for this research include Zach Sherman, Shashank Karki, Tegwyn Brickhouse, Marko Vujicic, Kamyar Nasseh, Changzhen Wang, Hyun Kim and Mengxi Zhang.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.09.003. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)