People’s Willingness to Pay for Dental Checkups and the Associated Individual Characteristics: A Nationwide Web-Based Survey among Japanese Adults

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for dental checkups and analyze the association between the values and individual characteristics. This cross-sectional study was conducted using a nationwide web-based survey, and 3336 participants were allocated into groups that received regular dental checkups (RDC; n = 1785) and those who did not (non-RDC; n = 1551). There was a statistically significant difference in the WTP value for dental checkups between the RDC (median: 3000 yen [22.51 USD]) and non-RDC groups (2000 yen [15.01 USD]). In the RDC group, age 50–59 years, household income <2 million yen, homemaker and part-time worker employment status, and having children were significantly associated with decreased WTP values; male sex, household incomes ≥8 million yen, and tooth brushing ≥3 times daily were associated with increased WTP values. In the non-RDC group, age ≥30 years, household incomes <4 million yen, and having ≥28 teeth were significantly associated with decreased WTP values; household income ≥8 million yen was associated with increased WTP values. Conclusively, WTP values for dental checkups were lower in the non-RDC group than in the RDC group; in the non-RDC group, those with lower household income aged ≥30 years were more likely to propose lower WTP values, suggesting the need for policy intervention to improve access to RDC.

Decision-making regarding dental treatments – What factors matter from patients’ perspective and does Covid-19 influence patients’ behavior? A systematic review

“…The factors most frequently identified in studies are out-of-pocket payment, dental fear, aesthetics, and pain. Out-of-pocket payment can be considered a decisive factor of choice, as recently shown in willingness-to-pay studies of different countries, e.g., Japan [167], England [88], and Germany [168]. The UK, Saudi Arabia, the USA, India, Brazil, Turkey, Germany, and Canada are the countries with most identified articles (n>=8 articles), with out-of-pocket payment as most frequently mentioned factor of choice.…”

COVID-19 Pandemi Sürecinden Yansımalar: Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı Hizmeti Bekleyen Hastalar

“…Japonya'da ülke çapında yapılan bir araştırmada da düzenli diş muayenesi yaptıranların WTP değeri yaptırmayan guruba göre daha yüksek bulunmuştur. 36 Birleşik Krallık'ta genel popülasyon üzerinde yapılan bir araştırmada detaylı ve kişiselleştirişmiş ağız bakımının WTP'si ve WTP'yi hangi faktörlerin etkilediği araştırılmıştır. Yüksek gelirliler ve diş bakımının önemli olduğunu belirten grupların daha yüksek WTP değerine sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir.…”