5 - Exploring Factors Influencing Dental Care Visits in HRSA-Funded Health Centers

Abstract:

Objective: To explore the factors influencing patient decisions to have dental care visits at HRSA-supported health centers.

Methods: This study extracted information on patients’ access to dental care from the 2022 Health Center Patients Survey, health center characteristics from the 2021 Uniform Data System, and state factors from other data sources. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, and logistic regression models (Odd Ratios [OR], 95% Confidence Intervals [95% CI]) were conducted to assess the impact of individual sociodemographic predisposing factors, needs factors (eg, oral health status), health center factors (eg, size, workforce capacity, revenue from federal grants), and state factors (eg, Medicaid dental benefit for adults, Medicaid reimbursement for dental services) on patients’ likelihood of visiting for obtaining dental care.

Results: Among health centers with any oral health providers, 14,469,508 patients (unweighted n=2,156) reported having dental visits in the last year, with 34.4% receiving dental care at the health centers where they usually receive care and 65.6% seeking dental care elsewhere. Patients were (borderline) significantly more likely to visit their usual health center for oral health services when there were higher ratios of oral health providers per patients (OR=2.94, 95% CI=1.83-4.74), a greater proportion of capital development grants from the total revenue (OR=1.28, 95% CI=0.99-1.03), and patients had incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level (OR=1.93, 95% CI=1.04-3.57).

Conclusions: Increasing the dentists and dental hygienists workforce capacity in health centers and enhancing federal funding can significantly increase patients' utilization of their usual health center for dental care, particularly among low-income individuals.

Source of Funding: US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)