Caries experience of adults attending private and public dental clinics in Australia.
OBJECTIVE
In Australia, the majority of dental patients attend the private sector, while those with means tested eligibility for government assistance may attend the public sector. The aims of this study were to compare dental caries among persons who last visited private and public clinics, controlling for age, sex, reason for visit, and income.


METHODS
Data were collected in 2004-06, using a three-stage, stratified clustered sample of Australians aged 15+years, involving a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI), oral examination, and mailed questionnaire.


RESULTS
A total of 14,123 adults responded to the CATI (49 percent response) of whom 5,505 (44 percent of those interviewed) had an oral epidemiological examination. Multivariate regression analysis controlling for age, sex, reason for visit, and showed (P < 0.05) that persons attending public clinics had higher levels of decayed (beta = 0.33) and missing teeth (beta = 0.83), but lower levels of filled teeth (beta = -1.09) compared with the reference category of private clinics.


CONCLUSIONS
Persons who attend for dental care in the public sector have worse oral health than adults who visit private dental clinics, in addition to an independent effect of socioeconomic disadvantage.
Brennan
David S
DS
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia. david.brennan@adelaide.edu.au
Do
Loc Giang
LG
Slade
Gary D
GD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D010808:Physical Examination; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017150:Public Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult