Dental health in the United States has improved substantially in the past few decades, but not everyone has benefited equally. People of color, residents of low-income and rural communities, people with disabilities, and the elderly suffer disproportionately from tooth decay and gum disease and are less likely to visit a dentist than urban, white, and more well-to-do Americans. To help close the gaps in dental care access, Pew works to understand the issues driving disparities in dental care.