Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Describe Findings in Clinical Oncology (Impact of health insurance coverage on dentition status prior to hematopoietic cell transplant: A 10-year single-institution observational study): Clinical Oncology

2026 JUN 10 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Clinical Oncology have been published. According to news reporting from New York City, New York, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The impact of health insurance on dentition status in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is poorly understood, despite evidence that social determinants influence cancer care disparities. The primary objective of this study is to examine the association between health insurance coverage and pre-HCT dentition status at our institution.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, “A retrospective study was conducted on 2045 adults who underwent pre-HCT dental evaluation at the Dental Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York between 2013 and 2023. Demographic data, health insurance type (commercial, Medicare, Medicaid) and medical comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension were retrieved from their medical records. Dentition status including decayed (D), missing (M), filled (F) teeth and combined DMFT scores were collected from their dental charts. Associations between health insurance type and dentition and comorbidities were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson’s Chi-squared, and Fisher’s exact tests. Majority patients were male (58%), of White race (77%) and non-Hispanic ethnicity (89%), with a median age of 57 years (range, 18-81). Commercial insurance was the most common (66%), followed by Medicare (24%) and Medicaid (10%). Patients with Medicaid had the highest number of D and lowest number of F teeth (p < 0.001). Patients with Medicare had the highest DMFT scores (b = 4.4, 95% CI: 3.7-5.2; p< 0.001), adjusting for clinically relevant covariates.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Health insurance type was significantly associated with dentition status in HCT patients, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve dental care access and reduce disparities in this population.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Impact of health insurance coverage on dentition status prior to hematopoietic cell transplant: A 10-year single-institution observational study. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026;34(6). Supportive Care in Cancer can be contacted at: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States. (Springer - www.springer.com; Supportive Care in Cancer - http://www.springerlink.com/content/0941-4355/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Annu Singh, Dept. of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States. Additional authors for this research include Kevin Chung, Charlie White, Elyn R. Riedel, Edward Christopher Dee, Francisca Onyiuke, Dana M. Bergenfeld, SaeHee K. Yom, Joseph M. Huryn and Cherry L. Estilo.

Publisher contact information for the journal Supportive Care in Cancer is: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States.

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