IADR Abstract Archives

Dental Health Utilization Among California Adolescents

Objective: California is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse states in the U.S, where 1 in 7 US births occur, making it an ideal setting for a study of oral health disparities. The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), the largest state health survey conducted, was designed to obtain population-based estimates about health care access and insurance coverage. The objective of this study is to determine dental service utilization, and associated factors, among adolescents in California.

Methods: For this secondary analysis, the 2007 CHIS adolescent questionnaire was used, based on a random digit dialing telephone survey. All interviews were conducted with a household adult. In those households with adolescents (12-17), one adolescent was randomly selected.

Results: A total of 3,638 adolescents participated in the 2007 CHIS (1,227 of Latino descent and 393 of Asian descent). The overall prevalence of dental visits within 6 months was 2,672 (73%); within a year, 615 (17%); and greater than a year, 318 (9%). Of all visits, 2,745 (75%) were preventive. Adolescents with dental insurance were more likely to have had a past-year dental visit. Nearly 85.5% of Latino teens had a dental visit within one year, 76% of which were preventive visits and 68.8% involved dental insurance coverage. Amongst Asian teens, 90.1% had a dental visit within one year, 75.8% of which were preventive visits, and 74.5% involved dental insurance. These two groups were compared to White teens, among whom 92.6% had a dental visit within a year, 75.8% of which were preventive visits, and 78.4% involved dental insurance.

Conclusion: White teens had the highest prevalence of having had a dental visit within a year, and were more likely to have dental insurance, followed by Asian and Latino teens. The prevalence of preventive dental visits was similar amongst White, Asian, and Latino teens.


World Congress on Preventive Dentistry
2009 World Congress on Preventive Dentistry (Phuket, Thailand)
Phuket, Thailand
2009
165
Posters
  • Orellana, Maria Fernanda  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Shen, Yoshi  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Jasik, Carolyn  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Fisher-owens, Susan  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
    • Poster Session
    Other WCPD Topics II
    09/10/2009