Utilization of dental services and associated factors among preschool children in China
Abstract Background: This study sought to evaluate dental utilization among 3-,4-, and 5-year-old children in China and to use Andersen’s behavioural model to explore influencing factors, thereby providing a reference for future policy making.Methods: A cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Fourth National Oral Health Survey was performed from August 2015 to December 2016. Survey data for children in the 3- to 5-year-old age groups were extracted. Patient data were collected using a questionnaire answered by the child’s parents, and clinical data were collected during a clinical examination. Stratification and survey weighting were incorporated into the complex survey design. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations and logistic regression results were then analysed to assess associations.Results : The oral health service utilization rates during the prior 12 months were 9.5% among 3-year-old children, 12.1% among 4-year-old children, and 17.5% among 5-year-old children. “No dental diseases” and “dental disease was not severe” were the principal reasons that children had not attended a dental visit in the past 12 months. Greater child age, increased parental educational level, and good oral health brief by parents was associated with an increased likelihood that the child received dental services within the past 12 months. Children who lived in urban areas and who belonged to families with high annual per capita incomes tended to have relatively higher oral health service utilization rates in the past 12 months. In addition, dental pain, evaluated dental health, and decayed, missing, and filled surface (DMFS) scores were significantly linked to dental visits. The results also demonstrated that children were more likely to see a dentist if they brushed their teeth more frequently or brushed their teeth with their parents’ help.Conclusion: The rate of dental service utilization was relatively low among preschool children. It is necessary to strengthen oral health education for parents and children, thereby improving oral health knowledge as well as attitude, and promoting dental utilization.