Breaking down barriers to dental care

For many people, going to the dentist is easy to put off — until something hurts.

Millions of Americans don’t get regular dental care because of cost, lack of insurance, difficulty of finding a provider or fear of the dentist.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two experts about why oral health matters, the barriers that keep people out of the dentist’s chair and what’s being done to make dental care more accessible.

Guests:

• Dr. Elmi Abdulkadir Elmi is a dentist and co-founder of All About Dentistry, a general dental practice with locations in Burnsville and West St. Paul. He was also selected as a 2026 Bush Fellow, recognized for his work expanding access to oral health care.
• Dr. Sheila Riggs is an associate professor of dental public health in the School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota and chair of the Association of Critical Access Dental Providers of Minnesota.

Here are some of the resources that were discussed on the show:

• Dental Clinics and Services - Help Me Connect
• Public Resources | Minnesota Dental Association
• University of Minnesota Dental Clinics

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.