Dental Care Utilization Among Children Aged 1-17 Years: United States, 2019 and 2020.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends regular preventive dental examinations and cleanings for children starting from the time their first tooth appears or by age 1 year (1). In 2020, dental practices adjusted their services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and access to dental care was disrupted for many Americans (2,3). This report uses data from the 2019 and 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to describe recent changes in the prevalence of dental examinations or cleanings in the past 12 months among children aged 1-17 years by selected sociodemographic characteristics.