			Home About us Contact

Dental Insurance (dental + insurance)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Dental Insurance and Clinical Dental Outcomes in NHANES III

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 4 2005
Tonya R. Stancil PhD
Abstract Objectives: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) 1988,1994 is one of the few nationally representative data sets with information on both private dental insurance and a clinical dental exam. The objective of this analysis was to examine the possible associations between private dental insurance and clinical exam outcomes, demographic variables, and dental visits. Methods: Using NHANES III data, analysis was limited to persons aged 20 years or older who had a dental exam and reported on their private dental insurance status. Initial analyses were based on comparisons between those with and without private dental insurance. Propensity scoring method was used to examine the effects of dental insurance on clinical exam variables. Results: The percentage of individuals with private dental insurance was significantly greater among non-Hispanic blacks, those with higher educational attainment, those living at/above the federal poverty level, and those with a dental visit in the past year compared to their respective counterparts. Those with untreated caries, those with a loss of attachment of greater than 4 mm, and those with 12,27 missing teeth were significantly less likely to have dental insurance (p<0.05) than their respective counterparts. Conclusions: These results suggest that having private dental insurance is associated with better clinical oral health status. [source]

Social inequality in tooth extraction in a Brazilian insured working population

COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
Joaquim Murilo Silveira Neto
Abstract,,, Objectives:, Given the scant evidence of the socioeconomic gradient in tooth loss incidence, the purpose of this study was to compare the odds of individuals of distinct social strata being subjected to tooth extraction. Methods:, We undertook a case,control study at the head office of a large Brazilian company whose employees had access to dental care through the company's dental insurance. Results:, During 2 years of observation, 264 teeth were extracted and the distribution of such extractions was rather unequal. A strong suggestion of a social gradient was noted and the odds of tooth extraction occurring per social strata, adjusted by age and gender, were five times higher in employees pertaining to the lowest social stratum, when compared with those at the highest. Conclusions:, We concluded that lower social strata were strongly associated with increased risk of having teeth extracted. Dental insurance was not able to equalize the chances of tooth extraction among different social strata, in a population of employed adults. [source]

Dental care coverage and retirement

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 1 2010
Richard J. Manski DDS
Abstract Objectives: To examine the convergence of an aging population and a decreased availability of dental care coverage using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Methods: We calculate national estimates of the number and characteristics of those persons age 51 years and above covered by dental insurance by labor force, retirement status, and source of coverage. We also estimate a multivariate model controlling for potentially confounding variables. Results: We show that being in the labor force is a strong predictor of having dental coverage. For older retired adults not in the labor force, the only source for dental coverage is either a postretirement health benefit or spousal coverage. Conclusions: Dental care, generally not covered in Medicare, is an important factor in the decision to seek dental care. It is important to understand the relationship between retirement and dental coverage in order to identify the best ways of improving oral health and access to care among older Americans. [source]

Dental Insurance and Clinical Dental Outcomes in NHANES III

The Impact of HIV on Oral Health and Subsequent Use of Dental Services

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2003
Aram Dobalian PhD
Abstract Objective: This study examined differences in health and access to dental services among a nationally representative sample of patients with HIV using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Methods: This investigation is a longitudinal study that used structural equation modeling to analyze data from the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study, a probability sample of 2,864 adults under treatment for HIV infection. Key predisposing variables included sex, drug use, race/ethnicity, education, and age. Enabling factors included income, insurance, and regular source of care. Need factors included mental, physical, and oral health. Dependent variables included whether a respondent utilized dental services and number of visits. Results: More education, dental insurance, usual source of dental care, and poor oral health predicted a higher probability of having a dental visit. African Americans, Hispanics, those exposed to HIV through drug use or heterosexual contact, and those in poor physical health were less likely to have a dental visit. Of those who visited dental professionals, older persons, those with dental insurance, and those in worse oral health had more visits. African Americans and persons in poor mental health had fewer visits. Conclusions: Persons with more HIV-related symptoms and a diagnosis of AIDS have a greater need for dental care than those with fewer symptoms and without AIDS, but more pressing needs for physical and mental health services limit their access to dental services. Providers should better attend to the oral health needs of persons with HIV who are in poor physical and mental health. [source]

General Health Status and Changes in Chewing Ability in Older Canadians over Seven Years

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2002
David Locker PhD;
Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the onset of and recovery from chewing problems in an older adult population over a seven-year period and to describe factors associated with these changes. Of particular interest was the relationship between general health and changes in oral functioning - Methods: The data came from a longitudinai study of community-dwelling individuals who were aged 50 years and older when first recruited. Data were collected at baseline (n=907) and at three (n=611) and seven-year (n=425) follow-ups. Oral function was assessed by means of a six-item index of chewing ability. Data were weighted to account for loss to follow-up using weights derived from the seven-year response proportions for dentate and edentulous subjects. Logistic regression analysis using backward stepwise selection was used to identify. predictors of onset and recovery. Results: At baseline, 25 percent of subjects reported a problem chewing. This rose to 26 percent at three years and 34 percent at seven years. The seven-year incidence of chewing dysfunction was 19 percent. Of those with a chewing problem at baseline, 21 percent did not have a problem at seven years. A logistic regression model predicting the seven-year incidence of chewing problems indicated that subjects aged 65 years or older, the edentulous, those rating their oral health as poor, those without dental insurance and those without a regular source of dentai care were more likely to be an incident case. In addition, a variable denoting the number of chronic medical conditions at baseline also entered the model. A logistic regression model predicting recovery indicated that older subjects, the edentulous, those from low-income households, and those with limitations in activities of daily living were less likely to recover over the observation period. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate a marked increase in the prevalence of chewing problems in this older adult population over the seven-year observation period. Poorer general health at baseline increased the probability of the onset of a chewing problem and decreased the probability of recovery. [source]

Demographic and socio-economic factors associated with dental health among older people in NSW

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 1 2004
Clare Ringland
Objective: To investigate the association between oral health status and social, economic and demographic factors in community-dwelling older people in New South Wales (NSW). Methods: Binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between measures of oral health status (edentulous/dentate, and the frequency of toothache or mouth or denture problems in the previous 12 months) and demographic and socio-economic factors using data from the NSW Older People's Health Survey 1999. Results: After adjusting for other factors, being edentulous was associated with being older, having no private dental insurance, being female, leaving school at less than 15 years of age, not being financially comfortable, not being a homeowner, living in a rural area, and being unable to travel alone. Among both dentate and edentulous people, increasing age and being able to travel independently were associated with decreased reporting of toothache, mouth or denture problems; while not being financially comfor table was associated with increased reporting of toothache or mouth or denture problems. The frequency of mouth or denture problems was not found to be independently associated with having private dental insurance nor with holding a health concession card. Conclusions: Among older people in NSW, oral health is associated with a range of demographic and socio-economic factors. The results suggest that better oral health among older people is associated with a capacity to pay out-of-pocket dental expenses rather than with private dental insurance or having access to public-funded dental care. [source]

Access to dental care by young South Australian adults

AUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003
KF Roberts-Thomson
Abstract Background: Despite reported concern over the dental care of young adults little research has been done on their use of dental services in Australia. The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns of dental utilization of young South Australian adults aged 20,24 years. Methods: A random sample of 2300 young adults was selected from the electoral roll. Partial or complete addresses and possible phone numbers were obtained for 1921 persons. Telephone interviews were conducted for 1261 subjects to obtain information on socio-demographics, health behaviour and dental visiting (response rate 65.6 per cent). Results: One third of young adults (34 per cent) had not made a dental visit in the previous two years and 38 per cent usually visited for a problem rather than a check-up. Making a dental visit in the last two years was significantly associated with a number of socio-demographic variables including age and gender, with holders of private dental insurance and those who have not avoided care because of cost having higher odds of making a visit and males and government concession card holders having lower odds of visiting. Usual reason for visiting a dentist for a problem was significantly associated with no private dental insurance, holding a government concession card, no tertiary education and avoiding care because of cost. Conclusions: This study suggests that demographic and economic factors influenced use of dental services and reason for visiting of young South Australian adults. [source]