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Subsidized dental care improves caries status in male industrial workers
Author(s) -
Ahlberg Jarzi,
Ahlberg Jari,
Tuominen Risto,
Murtomaa Heikki
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1996.tb00854.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dentistry , dental care , subsidy , market economy , economics
The association between an employer‐provided dental benefit scheme and dental status was studied in male industrial workers in southern Finland in 1994. A total of 325 workers (age 38–65 yrs) with access to subsidized dental care and 174 controls completed a multiple‐choice questionnaire followed by clinical examinations. One or more carious teeth was registered in 19% of the subsidized group and 50% of the controls (P<0.001). For subjects with retained roots the proportions were 2% and 15%. respectively (P<0.0()1). Among those with caries the mean number of carious teeth was 2.1 (SD 2.0) in the subsidized group, and 3.2 (SD 3.8) in the control group (P<0.05). The groups did not differ significantly in numbers of teeth or filled teeth. The probability of having one or more carious teeth was negatively associated with access to subsidized dental care, with a recall or check‐up as the reason for the last dental visit, and with having had the last dental visit within the past two years. The results showed that the dental benefit scheme resulted in less untreated caries.