Consumption of dental services among adults in Denmark 1994-2003

The purpose of the present study was to measure the consumption of dental services among adults in Denmark and to analyze at what level socio-demographic/socioeconomic factors influence dental attendance and oral examinations. A sample of 10% of the total population of 18 yr or older was randomly drawn from a population register, based on a cross-sectional design. Information on the use of dental services was retrieved from public registers along with data on gender, age-group, regions, ethnicity, education, marital status, and income. In addition, a cohort of persons was drawn from the sample in 1999 including only persons who were registered as residents in Denmark from 1999 to 2003. Over time, an increase in the number of dental visits and oral examinations was found among persons older than 45 yr, whereas a decrease was observed in the younger age-groups. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the effect of various variables on the experience of dental visits and oral examinations, and relatively high odds for dental attendance and oral examinations was found for the following: younger adults; women; married persons; high income; high education; and persons of Danish origin. The present dental healthcare system does not yet seem to have established mechanisms to address social inequalities in the consumption of dental services.