title: Orthodontic care for underserved patients: professional attitudes and behavior of orthodontic residents and orthodontists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether orthodontic residents and orthodontists differ in their attitudes and behavior concerning the treatment of underserved patients and to investigate how background factors such as the providers' gender, ethnicity/race, and age affect these attitudes and behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey data were collected from 135 residents in US and Canadian graduate orthodontic programs and from 568 active members of the American Association of Orthodontists. Attitudes toward various aspects of treating underserved patients were rated on a five-point scale, with 1 indicating the most negative attitude and 5 indicating the most positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Orthodontic residents had more positive attitudes about treating poor patients (3.02 vs 1.99; P < .001), pro bono cases (3.87 vs. 3.45; P < .001), and patients with craniofacial anomalies (3.64 vs 3.01; P < .001) or mental retardation (3.13 vs 2.72; P < .001) than orthodontists. However, compared to orthodontists, lower percentages of residents intended to treat pro bono cases (73.5% vs 83%; P = .009) and patients with craniofacial anomalies (63.6% vs 82.9%; P < .001) or mental retardation (55% vs 81.5%; P < .001). The providers' gender did not have an effect on these attitudes and related behavior, while ethnicity/race and age of the providers were relevant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Residents had more positive attitudes concerning the treatment of underserved patients than orthodontists. However, their behavioral intentions did not indicate an increased willingness to provide care for these patients.
authors: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109-1078, USA.
authors: Brett R
authors: BR
authors: Brown
authors: Marita Rohr
authors: MR
authors: Inglehart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D009970:Orthodontics; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017664:Uncompensated Care; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult