[Utilization of preventive dental services by recent immigrants in Quebec].

OBJECTIVES

Studies conducted in Canada show that recent immigrants tend to under-utilize preventive services provided by the health care system. The objective of our study was to learn whether this phenomenon also applies to dental care.

METHODS

Our sample was composed of 5,795 women who live in Quebec and are between 30 and 44 years old. These women filled out a self-administered questionnaire regarding their immigration status and their habits concerning dental visits. In our analyses, we compared the use of dental services of recent immigrants (10 years or less in Canada), long-term immigrants (more than 10 years), and non-immigrants (Canadians of origin).

RESULTS

55% of recent immigrants are preventive service users compared to 69% of long-term immigrants and 76% of non-immigrants. The financial barrier partly explains this result: immigrants often have a modest income and rarely benefit from dental coverage. However, having private dental insurance does not in itself explain the gap between these groups. This suggests that there is a cultural barrier in dental services access.

CONCLUSIONS

Under-use of preventive services by immigrants is not limited to the medical field, it extends to dental services as well. In order to facilitate immigrants' adaptation to the health system, we recommend that the government provide them with free dental services that respect their culture.