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Dental Caries Experience of Female Inmates
Author(s) -
Heng Christine K.,
Morse Douglas E.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of public health dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1752-7325
pISSN - 0022-4006
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-7325.2002.tb03422.x
Subject(s) - dentistry , medicine , psychology
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of dental caries and level of unmet dental need among female offenders in a federal prison in Connecticut. Methods: All inmates admitted into the Federal Correctional Institution at Danbury, Connecticut, from May 31, 1997, to May 21, 1998, were given oral screening examinations (n=500; age range=20–65 years). The data were analyzed in terms of race/ethnicity and age groupings. DMF and D/DF scores were determined. Results: The mean DMFT and DMFS scores were 16.8 and 57.0, respectively; the scores were higher for non‐Hispanic whites and Hispanics than non‐Hispanic blacks, and increased with age. The mean DT/DFT and DS/DFS scores were 36.8 percent and 36.0 percent, respectively. These scores were higher for non‐Hispanic blacks than non‐Hispanic whites and Hispanics, and decreased with age. Conclusions: Female prisoners had high levels of dental caries and racial disparities persisted in the prison.