Rural-Urban Differences in Dental Service Utilization and Dental Service Procedures Received Among US Adults: Results From the 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

PURPOSE

To assess rural-urban differences in dental service use and procedures and to explore the interaction effects of individual- and county-level factors on having dental service use and procedures.

METHODS

Data were from the 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We assessed rural-urban differences in 3 outcome variables: number of dental visits (1, 2, or 3+ visits), preventive care procedures (Yes/No), and treatment procedures (Yes/No). The study sample included 8,199 adults ≥ 18 years of age who reported at least 1 dental visit in the past year. Sampling weights embedded in MEPS were incorporated into all the analyses.

FINDINGS

A significant interaction between residential location and race/ethnicity (P = .030) suggested limited access to dental visits for minority groups, especially for blacks in the more rural areas. Adults from a more rural area were less likely to have received a preventive procedure (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.35-0.87) than those from an urban area. Adults of racial/ethnic minority groups, with lower SES, and without dental insurance were less likely to have received a preventive procedure (all P < .01) but were more likely to have received a treatment procedure (all P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed rural adults were less likely to have received preventive dental procedures than their urban counterparts. Racial/ethnic minority groups living in a more rural area had even more limited access to dental services. Innovative service delivery models that integrate telehealth and community-based case management may contribute to addressing these gaps in rural communities.