Oral health disparities between ranks in a military environment: Israel Defense Force as a model.
Some studies have demonstrated a relationship between occupational status and position in the workplace to use of dental services and oral health status. Ranks symbolize social status in the military hierarchy, which is different from that accepted in civilian workplace.


OBJECTIVE
This study was aimed at analyzing differences between officers and noncommissioned personnel in regard to dental treatment needs and use of dental services.


METHODS
One-thousand, one-hundred thirty-nine personnel of the Israel Defense Force were examined, using DMFT (decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth and CPITN (community periodontal index of treatment needs indices to define oral health status. A questionnaire was used to calculate utilization rates.


RESULTS
Noncommissioned personnel had on average 50% more unmet caries treatment needs, and 19.1% of them suffered from deep periodontal pockets. No differences were demonstrated in utilization rates


CONCLUSIONS
Military rank influences oral treatment needs the way civilian organizational structure does with the exception of utilization rates of dental services.
Department of Community Dentistry, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, P.O. Box 1172, Jerusalem 91010, Israel.
Tuvia
T
Horev
Joseph
J
Katz
Dov
D
Almog
Avishay
A
Goldberg
Arie
A
Shpigelman
William
W
Rajnay
D000328:Adult; D004245:DMF Index; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008885:Military Dentistry; D008889:Military Personnel; D009909:Oral Health