Public Health Service. dental and oral diseases may well be the most prevalentand preventableconditions affecting children. And while we have seen improvement overall. certain groups of children continue to suffer more than their share of oral health problems. primarily because of their limited access to oral health services. Poor childrenusually minority. migrant. and many in rural communitiesare the ones most seriously affected. You might ask "doesnt Medicaid help these children?" It should. if they happen to be eligible. But while Medicaid accounts for about 80 percent of public funds spent for oral health. only about 1 percent of Medicaid funds are spent on dental care.