Child- and State-Level Characteristics Associated with Preventive Dental Care Access Among U.S. Children 5–17 Years of Age

Abstract

The objectives of this study is to identify factors associated with lack of preventive dental care among U.S. children and state-level factors that explain variation in preventive dental care access across states. We performed bivariate analyses and multilevel regression analyses among 68,350 children aged 5-17years using the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health data and relevant state-level data. Odds ratios (ORs) for child- and state-level variables were calculated to estimate associations with preventive dental care. We calculated interval odds ratios (IOR), median odds ratios (MOR), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) to quantify variation in preventive dental care across states. Lack of preventive dental care was associated with various child-level factors. For state-level factors, a higher odds of lack of preventive dental care was associated with a higher percentage of Medicaid-enrolled children not receiving dental services (OR=1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15-1.47); higher percentage of children uninsured (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.29-1.69); lower dentist-to-population ratio (OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.03-1.80); and lower percentage of dentists submitting Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program claims (OR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06). IORs for the first three state-level factors did not contain one, indicating that these state-level characteristics were important in understanding variation across states. Lack of preventive dental care varied by state (MOR=1.40). The state-level variation (ICC=3.66%) accounted for a small percentage of child- and state-level variation combined. Child- and state-level characteristics were associated with preventive dental care access among U.S. children aged 5-17years. State-level factors contribute to variation in dental care access across states and need to be considered in state-level planning.