title: Economic inequalities in dental care utilizations in Iran: Evidence from an urban region.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health utilization inequality is a major concern for health policymakers. Equality in utilization of services is very important for having a healthy society. The aim of this study was to describe inequality in dental care utilization in Iran, Therefore, concentration index, its curve, and the predictors of inequality in utilization of dental services and their spending were calculated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of a health utilization survey which previously had been gathered in Shiraz, Iran were used for this study. Tobit and Poisson estimators were used to estimate utilization and out of pocket models. Furthermore, concentration index and curve was calculated to show inequality in dental care utilization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High inequalities was found in dental care utilization in Iran (concentration index=0.19). In the utilization model, the relationship between income and utilization was positive. People with higher income could utilize more services. Being covered by insurance increased the probability of dental care utilizations too.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Policy makers must find solutions like increase the coverage of dental insurances to decrease inequality in dental care utilization.
authors: PhD Candidate in Health Economics, Department of Health Economics and Management, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. homaierad@gmail.com.
authors: Enayatollah
authors: E
authors: Homaie Rad
authors: Assistant Professor, Department of Health Management, School of Health Management and Informatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. zhr.kavosi@gmail.com.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Kavosi
authors: MSc of Health Economics, Department of Health Economics and Management, School of Public Health, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran. arefnezhad67@yahoo.com.
authors: Masoud
authors: M
authors: Arefnezhad
keywords: Concentration curve; Concentration index; Dental Services; Inequality; Shiraz