Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
Many Californians with Medi-Cal may not realize they qualify for free dental and vision care, services designed to keep families healthy and thriving. Despite having full coverage for routine checkups, cleanings, and eye exams, only 1 in 5 adults on Medi-Cal use their dental benefits each year. These services are more than just routine; they help prevent serious health issues like tooth decay, infections, and vision loss, which can affect a person’s ability to work, care for loved ones, and maintain overall health and well-being.
Donny Shiu, Vision Program Chief, DHCS hat regular eye examinations are not only related to vision, but also an important step in detecting early signs of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and neurological diseases. “Vision care is the key gateway to overall health.” He said that white card members can receive a free eye examination and a pair of glasses, including frames and lenses, every 24 months. If you are blind due to illness or injury, you can also receive prosthetic eyes or special lens services. He pointed out that vision services have been included in White Card’s “Innovation and Advancement Plan” (CalAIM), which allows optometrists, family physicians and mental health experts to work together to provide integrated care for patients through strengthened care management and interdisciplinary cooperation. This move especially benefits low-income adults, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Dana Durham, Dental Division Chief, DHCS said that the dental benefits of white cards have also been ignored. Both adults and children can enjoy comprehensive dental services, including teeth cleaning, fillings, root canal treatment, dentures, gum care and children’s orthodontics, etc. She emphasized: White card holders do not need to pay any fees for dental treatment. As long as it is medically necessary, the white card will fully bear it. However, Durham reminded that starting from July 1, 2026, non-pregnant adults over the age of 19 with some immigration status will no longer enjoy full dental benefits, only emergency treatment.
Eileen Espejo, Senior Managing Director of Health, Children Now, pointed out that oral health is closely related to children’s academic performance and mental health. Tooth decay can make children unable to sleep well and eat well, and may also affect pronunciation and concentration.
Experts unanimously emphasize that the dental and vision services provided by the White Card are an important part of California’s medical equity, but the low penetration rate is mainly because many people are unaware or have language and transportation barriers. To this end, the state has launched a multilingual service website and hotline, and has assisted residents in finding qualified ophthalmologists and dentists through multiple projects.
Also Read: Medi-Cal Changes: What You Need to Know
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