Background: To achieve evidence-based policymaking to improve access to dental services and reduce inequality in the utilization of these services, the identification of effective factors on the use of dental services is essential. Objectives: Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the most important socioeconomic factors affecting the demand and utilization of dental services among households in Khorramabad, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed among 500 households in Khorramabad city in 2017. The participants were selected using a randomized stratified sampling method. Logistic regression was used to determine the most important factors affecting the utilization of dental services and linear regression to examine income elasticity. To measure inequality among income groups, the concentration index was employed. Data analysis was performed using STATA-14 software and the inequality measurement was carried out using DASP-2.3 in STATA software. Results: The mean number of visits by the respondents was 2.78 ± 1.8. Income elasticity and concentration index for these services were estimated to be 0.31 and 0.207, respectively. Increasing household income, advancing age, higher education level of the head of the household, and having complementary insurance coverage (OR = 1.72) had positive relationships with the increased utilization of dental services. Also, a female head of the household (OR = 0.39) and increased household size (OR = 0.9) led to a reduction in the utilization of these services. Conclusions: Inequality is observed in the use of dental services between different socioeconomic groups. Therefore, health policymakers should implement interventions such as dental health insurance to reduce this inequality in such a way that inequalities between socioeconomic groups are reduced.

Background: Equitable distribution of health services is the main goal of all countries, but this objective is more closely monitored and planned at the national level. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of care providers of mother and child as vulnerable groups at the provincial level in one of the provinces of Iran in 2011-2017. Methods: The Gini coefficient, dissimilarity index, and Gaswirth index were used to assess the distribution of maternal and child care specialists. The time trend of inequality was estimated using regression analysis. The calculations were performed using STATA-14 software. Results: The mean Gini coefficients of pediatricians, gynecologists, and midwives in the study period were 0.25, 0.32, and 0.36, respectively. The mean dissimilarity indices for the mentioned specialists in the study period were 15, 14.7, and 10.9, respectively. The mean Gaswirth indices were 0.99, 0.78, and 0.49, respectively. The results of the regression analysis showed that the effect of time on inequalities was not significant. Conclusions: The results of the study showed that there was some inequality in the distribution of human resources related to maternal and child health. Therefore, health policymakers are proposed to design and implement a sustainable policy for the fair distribution of these workforces at the provincial level. Equality of indicators at the national level does not necessarily imply equitable distribution at the county level. Therefore, it is proposed to measure and monitor the indicators at provincial/state levels, as well.