Dental care utilization in the west of Iran: a cross-sectional analysis of socioeconomic determinants

Abstract

Purpose Oral health is a major public health problem, both in developed and developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine the utilization of dental care and identify the main socioeconomic factors affecting the use of these services in the city of Sanandaj, west of Iran, in 2015. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey using multistage sampling was conducted to obtain information on the dental care visits of 520 head of households in Sanandaj. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the utilization of dental visits. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the main socioeconomic factors affecting the utilization of dental care in Sanandaj. Findings Results showed that 61.3 percent of the respondents visited a dentist at least once in the last year, of which 45 percent visited dentist for restoration, 27.9 percent had extraction and 10.3 percent had a dental checkup. The average number of dentist visits by respondents was 1.9. Regression results indicated a significant association between socioeconomic factors (e.g. income, educational level and employment status) and utilization of dental care. Originality/value This study suggested that dental care visit was influenced by socioeconomic status of households. Therefore, strategies aimed at improving dental care utilization for socioeconomically disadvantaged households (e.g. dental health insurance) are required to promote oral health among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.