Racial/Ethnic Disparity in Utilization of General Dental Care Services Among US Adults: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2012

Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to examine racial/ ethnic disparity and associated factors in general dental care utilization among US adults. Methods Data were adults 18-85 years old (N = 27,394) from the 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The outcome was the receipt of general dental care, measured by (1) whether the individual has ever had a general dental visit and (2) the number of general dental visits the individual has had during the past year. Race/ethnicity was the primary interest. Logistic regressions and negative binomial regressions were conducted using STATA version 12 to assess the effect of race/ethnicity on the receipt of general dental care both independently and adjusted for other demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results Non-Hispanic blacks (odds ratio (OR) 0.39, 95 % confidence intervals (CI) 0.37-0.43), Hispanics (0.34, 0.43-0.37), and other minorities (0.61, 0.56-0.68) were less likely to report general dental visits both independently and adjusted for other demographic and socioeconomic factors, compared with non-Hispanic whites. General dental visits were more likely to be observed among individuals who were female, married, native speakers, living in a metropolitan statistical area, and with dental insurance, and the number of visits was increasing with age, educational level, and family income. Conclusion The race/ethnicity disparity in the utilization of general dental care still existed. Policy makers and dental care providers should promote dental insurance coverage and language support programs, and increase the diversity of dental professionals among minorities to encourage their visits to dentists.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Dental Service Utilization for Foreign-Born and U.S.-Born Middle-Aged and Older Adults

“…Similar to several studies using cross-sectional data, we found that Blacks, Hispanics, and other racial/ethnic minorities reported a lower rate of service utilization than Whites (Christian et al, 2013; Shelley et al, 2011; Wu et al, 2013; Zhang, 2016). However, the current study went beyond prior research by confirming that racial/ethnic disparities were substantial and persistent as people became older regardless of birthplace while adjusting for a wide range of covariates.…”

“…Regular dental checkups can prevent oral diseases, maintain good oral health (Griffin, Jones, Brunson, Griffin, & Bailey, 2012), and promote cognitive functioning in late life (Han, Wu, & Burr, 2019). However, regularly utilizing dental services is often a challenge for many Americans, especially for older adults, racial/ethnic minorities, and immigrant populations (Wilson, Wang, Borrell, Bae, & Stimpson, 2018; Zhang, 2016). This is mainly due to barriers such as lack of dental insurance coverage, access to quality dental care, and awareness of the importance of oral health (Wu, Liang, Luo, & Furter, 2013).…”

“…For instance, only 12% of Medicare beneficiaries reported having at least some dental insurance to help pay dental expenses (Willink, Schoen, & Davis, 2016). Limited access and utilization of dental services were also well-documented among racial/ethnic minorities (Shelly, Russell, Parikh, & Fahs, 2011; Shi, Lebrun, & Tsai, 2010; Zhang, 2016) and immigrant populations (Luo & Wu, 2016). Focusing on middle aged and older adults (50+) in the United States, the primary goal of the current study is to describe trajectories of dental service utilization as they age and explore variations in the trajectory by race/ethnicity and place of birth, an important immigration-related factor.…”

Characteristics of US Adults Delaying Dental Care Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In addition, we failed to find evidence that reports of delaying dental care differed by race and ethnicity. Racial and ethnic inequities in use of dental care prepandemic are well documented, with non-White adults being less likely to visit a dentist (Zhang 2016), yet our analyses suggest that non-White adults were not disproportionally affected as it relates to delayed dental care. Because the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionally impacted Black and Hispanic individuals (CDC 2020b) and because Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to have unmet dental needs than White adults (Bhoopathi et al 2020), it is important to monitor and confirm access to dental care among non-White populations during the pandemic.…”

Factors associated with future dental care utilization among low-income smokers overdue for dental visits

“…Therefore, a primary aim of this analysis was to assess the influence of additional factors on dental care utilization, after accounting for these financial barriers. Based on prior research, we hypothesized that individuals with lower incomes, those with lower education levels, and those living in rural areas would be less likely to see a dentist [ 6 , 21 – 23 ]. Based on common health promotion theories and supporting research, we also hypothesized that individuals with higher levels of motivation and self-efficacy for seeing a dentist would be more likely to do so [ 24 – 29 ].…”