# Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Parent Project: Effects of Pregnancy and Postpartum Medicaid Dental Benefit Generosity On Use Of Dental Services

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2024 · $88,140

## Abstract

Project Summary:
The purpose of this pilot study is to explore postpartum women’s oral health knowledge, 
attitudes, and behaviors (KABs) during and after pregnancy in Florida, and to identify specific 
barriers and facilitators to dental service use, unmet dental needs, and the intent to use dental 
services in the postpartum period. Oral health is integral to overall health, particularly for 
maternal and infant health outcomes. Despite its importance, many women face barriers to 
accessing dental care during pregnancy, such as financial constraints and lack of awareness, 
leading to untreated disease and poor systemic health. This study addresses a gap in 
understanding the specific oral health needs of postpartum women, especially given recent 
policy changes expanding Medicaid eligibility for postpartum women in Florida.
This study addresses the oral health needs of postpartum women in light of recent Medicaid 
policy changes in Florida that expand eligibility for this population. To capture diverse 
perspectives, the study will develop and administer a survey in both English and Spanish, 
targeting Florida’s growing Hispanic population, which represents 26.4% of the state’s residents, 
with 22.2% identifying Spanish as their primary language. By including Spanish-speaking 
participants, the study aims to provide more nuanced insights into the factors influencing dental 
service use. Data will be collected from postpartum women at UF Health Shands Hospital 
through anonymous surveys. The study will analyze key barriers and facilitators to dental 
service utilization, unmet needs, and intent to seek dental care postpartum, while examining 
relationships between socio-demographic and clinical factors and oral health KABs.
The findings will inform larger-scale studies and interventions, including a planned focus group 
study, and provide preliminary data for a career development award application by Dr. Cilia 
Zayas. This pilot study will lay the groundwork for developing strategies to improve dental health 
outcomes for a diverse postpartum population in Florida.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11124367
- **Project number:** 3R03DE033075-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Astha Singhal
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $88,140
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11124367

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11124367, Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Parent Project: Effects of Pregnancy and Postpartum Medicaid Dental Benefit Generosity On Use Of Dental Services (3R03DE033075-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11124367. Licensed CC0.

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