Utilisation of dental services in Turkey: a cross-sectional survey

Aim: To assess the factors affecting the utilisation of dental service in Turkey. Method: A cross-sectional study using a sample of 866 adults randomly selected from nine provinces, collecting data on socio-demographic characteristics, frequency of dental visits and attitudes toward dental services in face-to-face interviews. Results: 40.4% of adults had visited a dentist within the previous year. Logistic regression analysis showed that gender and educational level were significant factors affecting the utilisation of dental services, with women using dental services significantly more than men and those having higher education compared to those having low education. Satisfaction from the services of the private dental offices and private hospitals was higher than from state hospitals. Age, reasons for dental visit and the place of the last visit were found to be the most significant predictors of satisfaction. Conclusion: Utilisation of dental services is low amongst Turkish adults. Women and individuals with higher levels of education use dental services more than others. The majority of the people prefer private dental offices, where the patient satisfaction is high.