Metro Atlanta dentist works to expand dental care for Georgia Medicaid patients – CBS News

Metro Atlanta dentist works to expand dental care for Georgia Medicaid patients  CBS News

A dentist in Hiram isn't just filling cavities; he's also filling gaps in care. It wasn't always the plan for Hassan Marwan to work at a Smile 4 U in Hiram, but once he saw the need for providers who accept Medicaid in the area, he didn't want to leave. "My mother used to take us all out of school to a place that accepts Medicaid, and so I see myself in them," Marwan said. Marwan said A Smile 4 U is one of the only practices in the area that accepts Medicaid for kids and adults. He estimates 80 percent of his patients use Medicaid. "It is a really high volume because not many people take Medicaid, so they do make the drive, and they feel like we're the only option," Marwan said.

According to a report from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute, in 2024 only 29 percent of dentists in Georgia participated in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP. "When I got a job, they really asked me to work for Hiram, as nobody accepts Medicaid around here or nobody comes to this area to provide care," Marwan said. "I did accept to come here a couple of days a week, but the more I worked here, the more I saw