title: The healthcare system and the provision of oral healthcare in EU Member States: France.
abstract: The French oral health system is based on the provision of dental treatment and is organised around a fee-per-item model. The system is funded by a complex mix of public and complementary health insurance schemes. The system is successful in that it provides access to affordable dental treatment to the majority of the French population. However, France had the highest health expenditure as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) of all European Union countries in 2008 and rising oral health inequalities may be exacerbated by the manner in which oral health care is provided and funded. In addition, there is no organised national strategy for the prevention of oral diseases or for oral health promotion.
authors.affiliation: Senior lecturer and Hospital consultant in Dental Public health. Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA4847 CROC Centre for Clinical Research in Dentistry, BP10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand and CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Service d'Odontologie, 63003 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pegon-Machat
authors.affiliation: Hospital consultant in Special Care dentistry. CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Service d'Odontologie, 63003 Clermont-Ferrand and Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA4847 CROC Centre for Clinical Research in Dentistry, BP10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faulks
authors.affiliation: Visiting Professor, University College London Eastman and King's College London Dental Institutes; Visiting Professor, University of Leeds and Honorary Professor, University of Kent.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.affiliation: CDO National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland, and Professor in Dental Public Health, Institute of Clinical Dentistry, Arctic University of Norway.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Widström
authors.affiliation: Consultant in Dental Public Health. Santé Social Consulting, 33 rue du Retrait, 75020 Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hugues
authors.affiliation: Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, Clermont-Ferrand and Professor and Hospital consultant in Dental Public Health, Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA4847 CROC Centre for Clinical Research in Dentistry, BP10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand and CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Service d'Odontologie, 63003 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tubert-Jeannin
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004497:Education, Dental; D005062:European Union; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D061889:Healthcare Financing; D006801:Humans; D007347:Insurance, Dental; D009909:Oral Health; D011313:Preventive Dentistry / Q000458:organization & administration; D009057:Stomatognathic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology