IADR Abstract Archives
Trends of Dental Services and Provider Types in the US in 2000-2016: Urban/rural comparisons
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the trend of dental provider mix (i.e., type of dental professionals visited) and service mix (i.e., different types of dental procedures) in rural/urban communities in the US from 2000 - 2016 and to assess rural/urban disparities.
Methods: Data were from the annual Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) 2000-2016 (N=145,330 adults aged 19+). MEPS respondents were asked the type of dental professionals visited in their last dental visit (provider mix) and the type of dental service received (service mix). We used the Rural Urban Continuum Code (RUCC) to classify urban and rural counties. We assessed the trends of visiting general dentists, dental hygienists, and dental surgeons; and trends of having diagnostic, preventive, restorative, prosthetic procedures, and oral surgeries. We used predictive margins to estimate the rates of visiting dental professionals and having dental procedures by rural and urban residents. We assessed the time trends in service and provider mix. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between rural-urban location and service/provider mix.
Results: A decreasing trend was observed in visiting a general dentist and an increasing trend in visiting a dental hygienist for both urban and rural residents (Trend Ps<0.001). A significant increasing trend in having preventive procedures and a decreasing trend in having restorative and oral surgery procedures were only significant for urban residents (Trend Ps<0.001). Logistic regression model results showed that rural residents were less likely to undergo preventive procedures (AOR=0.80) but more likely to have oral surgeries than urban residents (AOR=1.25).
Conclusions: Although preventive dental services increased while surgical procedures decreased from 2000-2016 in the US, significant oral health care disparities were found between rural and urban comunities. These findings are suggestive of poor oral health status and poor quality oral health care among rural residents.
Methods: Data were from the annual Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) 2000-2016 (N=145,330 adults aged 19+). MEPS respondents were asked the type of dental professionals visited in their last dental visit (provider mix) and the type of dental service received (service mix). We used the Rural Urban Continuum Code (RUCC) to classify urban and rural counties. We assessed the trends of visiting general dentists, dental hygienists, and dental surgeons; and trends of having diagnostic, preventive, restorative, prosthetic procedures, and oral surgeries. We used predictive margins to estimate the rates of visiting dental professionals and having dental procedures by rural and urban residents. We assessed the time trends in service and provider mix. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between rural-urban location and service/provider mix.
Results: A decreasing trend was observed in visiting a general dentist and an increasing trend in visiting a dental hygienist for both urban and rural residents (Trend Ps<0.001). A significant increasing trend in having preventive procedures and a decreasing trend in having restorative and oral surgery procedures were only significant for urban residents (Trend Ps<0.001). Logistic regression model results showed that rural residents were less likely to undergo preventive procedures (AOR=0.80) but more likely to have oral surgeries than urban residents (AOR=1.25).
Conclusions: Although preventive dental services increased while surgical procedures decreased from 2000-2016 in the US, significant oral health care disparities were found between rural and urban comunities. These findings are suggestive of poor oral health status and poor quality oral health care among rural residents.