Close to 50 million Americans live in rural or poor areas where few to no dentists practice. Many more dentists do not accept Medicaid patients, and the shortage of dentists is only going to get worse, Under the Affordable Care Act, 5.3 million more children will be entitled to dental benefits from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. However little is being done by the dental profession or by the federal or state governments to prepare for it..