Western Dental, the State’s Largest Medi-Cal Dental Provider, Responds to the Proposed 2026-2027 State Budget: Stop Cuts to the Medi-Cal Dental Program
ORANGE, CA (January 9, 2026) - Western Dental Services, California’s largest Medi-Cal Dental provider serving more than two million patients annually, with 244 offices statewide, employing more than 4,000 people, has issued the following statement from Peter Truong, DDS, Chief Dental Officer in response to the proposed 2026-27 state budget:
“A decade ago, Medi-Cal patients faced significant challenges accessing routine dental care, which resulted in longer and more complicated health problems for millions of patients who rely on the program for access.
Thankfully, Proposition 56 was overwhelmingly passed by voters, and provided much needed funding to expand care and offer more routine, preventive dental services to Californians. With that funding Western Dental has been able to open more than 50 offices across the state and increase the number of Medi-Cal patients we see daily.
Today’s budget announcement will devastate that progress, leaving significant cuts in place to the program that will have real-world impacts on people’s health care, on jobs and on entire communities, as dental offices will have to make painful decisions that will ultimately reduce access to care.
As lawmakers tackle complicated budget decisions in coming weeks and months, Western Dental urges these conversations to include a restoration to funding that will allow Medi-Cal patients to have access to the dental care that they need and deserve.”
ABOUT WESTERN DENTAL
Founded with the purpose of making high-quality oral healthcare accessible to all and focused on wellness and prevention, Western Dental, with its supported affiliates, has been expanding access and equity of oral healthcare for over 120 years, in more than 270 offices across California, Arizona, and Nevada. As a full-service "dental home," Western Dental provides general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, implants, and oral surgery in offices designed to support consistent, high-quality care that meets the needs of a diverse patient population. To learn more about Western Dental or to find an office in your community, visit westerndental.com or call 1-800-6-DENTAL.
ABOUT SONRAVA HEALTH
Sonrava Health is a national family of health and wellness companies focused on delivering high-quality dental, orthodontic, and specialty care. Headquartered in Orange, California, Sonrava Health supports a network of over 500 affiliated offices across the United States under well-known regional brands. With a patient-first approach and a commitment to clinical excellence, Sonrava Health is dedicated to improving lives through accessible, affordable care.