Access to dental care for women of childbearing age

Good oral health is vital to the health of women of childbearing age due to the connection of oral disease with poor birth outcomes, preeclampsia, and effects on dental health of her child/children. This secondary analysis of two existing datasets (the Ohio Family Health Survey and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) examined factors related to dental service use and dental insurance for women of childbearing age at varying levels of income, socioeconomic status (SES), and dental insurance coverage. Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use guided this study.

The results showed that for women with low income, dental use was similar for those with Medicaid and private dental insurance, that provider availability influenced utilization, and the factors influencing use were similar at the state (Ohio) and national level. Dental utilization varied significantly by SES. Perceived unmet dental need and dental insurance were significant predictors of use for women across SES groups, but age was a significant predictor for mid and higher SES groups. Race was a significant predictor of dental utilization in the mid SES group. Women of childbearing age with low income (<200% of the 2004 Federal Poverty Level), less than a high school education, and who were unmarried were less likely to have dental insurance. For uninsured women of childbearing age, being a minority and having less than a high school education was associated with dental service use.

This study showed that low income women of childbearing age who received Medicaid insurance had similar utilization levels as privately insured. Significant disparities existed with concerns to dental need and dental service use by socioeconomic status. Therefore further work is needed to reach the goals of increasing access to dental care in Ohio and nationally in order to meet Healthy People 2010 objectives. Public health nurses and nursing organizations need to promote oral health in all women of childbearing age.