Factors influencing dental utilization by U.S. military recruits.

This study identifies factors that influence dental utilization by U.S. military recruits prior to entering military service. Data were collected between February and June 1994 at one recruit in-processing site per service using self-administered questionnaires. A prestratified, systematic, random sample of 2,711 Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine recruits was drawn. Women and minorities were oversampled. Using logistic regression to determine what factors contribute to the likelihood of recruits having seen a dentist over the past year reveals that the likelihood is greater for females, singles, Air Force personnel, Native Americans, and the better educated; the likelihood is less for recruits who are black, above 19 years old, from the Midwest, Southwest, or Pacific regions of the U.S., and who perceive a need for dental care. Education is the strongest predictor of dental utilization prior to entering military service.