Mohammadreza Amiresmaili - Associate Professor, Department of Health Management, Policy, and Economics, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Saeed Amini - Assistant Professor, Department of Health Services Management, School of Public Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
Arash Shahravan - Professor, Endodontology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Reza Goudarzi - Assistant Professor, Modeling in Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Seyed Hossein Saberi-Anari - Assistant Professor, Department of Health Management, Policy and Economics, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Identifying the factors affecting utilization of dental services is one of the best ways to improve the health status. This study aimed to investigate the effective factors on utilization of dental services.METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, ۱۱۸۵ household heads were selected randomly, and using a researcher-made questionnaire based on World Health Organization (WHO) Global Health Survey and Andersen behavioral model, and through multivariate logistic regression, the predictors of visiting a dentist during ۱ year ago were investigated in ۲۰۱۷. The households’ income inequality in utilization of dental services was analyzed using concentration indices (CIs) and Pearson chi۲ in STATA software.RESULTS: The predictor of dental visit during ۱ year ago for men was having decayed teeth [odds ratio (OR) = ۱.۳, P = ۰.۰۳۰], and the predictors for women were lower ages (OR = ۰.۸, P = ۰.۰۰۱ for ۱۹-۲۹ years old and so on), having ۳۲ natural teeth (OR = ۰.۷, P = ۰.۰۲۰), and employment (OR = ۱.۳, P = ۰.۰۴۸). The common predictors were increase in education level (OR = ۱.۴, P = ۰.۰۰۱ for men, and OR = ۱.۷, P = ۰.۰۰۱ for women with university degree), brushing (OR = ۱.۹; P = ۰.۰۰۱ for women, and OR = ۱.۳; P = ۰.۰۴۰ for men), and having supplementary insurance (OR = ۱.۷, P = ۰.۰۰۱ for men, and OR = ۱.۹, P = ۰.۰۰۱ for women). Being burdensome of dental care costs during ۳ years ago (CI: -۰.۰۷۴, P = ۰.۰۰۱), avoiding visiting a dentist during ۱ (CI: -۰.۵۰۱, P = ۰.۰۰۱) and ۳ (CI: -۰.۵۰۱, P = ۰.۰۰۱) years ago because of its costs, and failure to do all dentistry recommendations during ۳ years ago (CI: -۰.۵۱۶, P = ۰.۰۰۱) happen more frequently among the poor. Moreover, the poor used all dental services such as scaling (CI: -۰.۶۳۸, P = ۰.۰۰۱), filling (CI: -۰.۴۵۸, P = ۰.۰۰۱), and root canal (CI: -۰.۵۲۴, P = ۰.۰۰۱) less than the rich.CONCLUSION: Dental health status is negatively affected by population socio-economic situation; therefore, it is necessary to implement policies to improve access to dental services among the undeserved.

Utilization, Dental Care, Iran