DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC PREDICTORS OF DENTAL-CARE UTILIZATION

The authors analyzed a comprehensive, nationally representative data s et from the 1989 National Health Interview Survey to determine what fa ctors are related to dental care utilization. The authors estimated th e percentage of low-income and minority adults who reported visiting a dentist in the past year by race, income, employment status, dental i nsurance coverage status, sex, health status, education, marital statu s, age and major activity. Data analyses focused on 49,687 18- to 64-y ear-old dentate respondents, who were black, Hispanic or white. The au thors found large differences in dental care utilization between black s, Hispanics and whites, when controlling for education, income, age a nd other variables.