FACTORS INFLUENCING THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF DENTAL SERVICES RECEIVED BY OLDER ADULTS IN 4 MUNICIPALITIES IN ONTARIO, CANADA

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors i nfluencing the pattern (amount and types) of dental care provided to d ental visitors participating in the baseline stage of the Ontario Stud y of the Oral Health of Older Adults. Methods: We interviewed and exam ined older adults from four municipalities in Ontario and obtained den tal service records for the previous two years for those reporting a d ental visit. individual services and their corresponding time and valu es were aggregated into categories. We compared the pattern of care fo r dentate and edentulous subjects, and by age, municipality of residen ce, and social, demographic and economic characteristics. Results: The 473 subjects received 5,031 services more than four hours of dental c are per subject over the two years. The 29 edentulous subjects receive d about one-third the number of services compared with the dentate; ho wever, there were no differences in relative time units (RTUs) or rela tive value units (RVUs). Among the dentate the amount of care (RVUs) v aried by municipality of residence and by visiting behavior, but nor b y age, income, or other socioeconomic variables. Conclusions: Both den tate and edentulous visitors received over two hours of care per perso n per year. Dental care patterns were influenced by dental status, are a of residence, and visiting behaviors.