title: Dental care utilization among older adults with cognitive impairment in the USA.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relationship between cognitive impairment and dental care utilization among older adults in the USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 329 older adults aged 70 years and older in West Virginia, USA, were included in the present analyses. We carried out multivariate ordinal regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with dementia were less likely to visit a dentist regularly, and more time had passed since their last dental visit compared with individuals with normal cognitive function. However, the pattern of dental care utilization for those with cognitive impairment, not dementia did not differ from individuals with normal cognition. A perceived greater social network and having dental insurance were associated with increased dental care utilization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Less dental care utilization might contribute to the oral health problems often observed among individuals with dementia. Efforts to increase the use of dental care should include cost-effective options for dental insurance. In addition, educating formal and informal caregivers on the importance of dental care might be beneficial, as these individuals are in the best position to facilitate dental care for individuals with dementia.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Kyung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Brenda L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Plassman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009909:Oral Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: cognitive impairment; dental care utilization; older adults