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Diversity in the use of specialized dental services by older adults in the United States
Author(s) -
Moeller John F.,
Chen Haiyan,
Manski Richard J.
Publication year - 2019
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/jphd.12309
Subject(s) - dental insurance , medicine , dental care , ethnic group , medical expenditure panel survey , population , diversity (politics) , medline , family medicine , medicaid , health care , dentistry , gerontology , environmental health , health insurance , sociology , anthropology , law , political science , economics , economic growth
Abstract Objectives We estimated the use of any dental services and the use of specific types of dental services conditional on any dental use for adults 50 and over in the United States to analyze: a) disparities in the use of specialized dental services and b) whether older adults receiving routine dental care use fewer expensive specialized dental services. Methods We relied on data tabulations and estimated logistic regressions from the 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Study to analyze the influence of various covariates such as age, race/ethnicity, education, dental insurance, income, and health status on the likelihood of a) using any dental care and b) using routine dental care (prophylaxis, examinations, bitewings, etc.) and specialized services for restorative, periodontal, oral surgery, or prosthetic dental care conditional on using any dental care. Results We found a) lower use of specialized services among higher income, more educated, healthier, nonminority older adults and b) association between lower use of routine dental care and higher use of expensive restorative, oral surgery, and prosthetic dental services. Conclusions Our study identifies diversity in the use of specialized dental services among an older adult population and suggests that more widespread use of routine dental services could potentially improve oral health and limit the need for expensive specialized dental care for this population.