Alberto J.F. Cardelle, PhD, MPH, Department of Public Health, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 200 prospect Street, Denike Building, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, 570-422-3401, acardelle@po-box.esu.edu

In recent years, oral health has received increased attention, both nationally and within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Arguably, the aspect of oral health that has garnered the most interest is that of access to services, especially with respect to indigent populations and children. The demand for services is analyzed through school-based data collected by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, aggregated Head Start data, and chart reviews of students in 10 school districts. In addition surveys and key informant interviews obtained information on factors affecting utilization of oral health services including predisposing socio-demographic characteristics, predisposing oral health beliefs, enabling resources, and perceived need. The analysis included not only a descriptive analysis of the frequencies of the responses, but association between the variables in the surveys using Chi-Square or Pearson’s correlations. Students requiring referrals tend to show evidence of multiple caries and of chronic decay. In all the school districts, the level of referral completion declines significantly as the number of caries the student has increases. In addition, as this trend would predict, as the percent of low-income students in a school increased, the percentage of students with complete dental referrals decreased. Rural children are more likely than urban children to be referred because of their dental morbidity. Despite the importance of the public school and Head Start screening programs, it appears that referral compliance for these programs in rural counties is low and care is not sought outside the program. Consequently, the unmet needs of poor rural children remain high.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the pre-disposing factors that affect parents from accessing dentalc are for their children.
• Understand the structural and process barriers that that that affect parents from accessing dentalc are for their children.

Keywords: Oral Health Needs, Low-Income

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.