Unmet preventive dental care needs among children with special health care needs

Objectives: To evaluate the status of unmet preventive dental care needs among Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) in the US. Methods: We analyzed data of 40,242 CSHCN from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) 2009-2010 conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children with unmet preventive dental care needs were identified as those with perceived the needs but without having received such care. Other variables included were: Age, race, language spoken at home, insurance status, federal poverty level, parents' education, area of living, and the number of special care needs conditions. Bivariate and multivariate weighted analysis was conducted to evaluate the access to preventive dental care among CSHCN. Results: Overall, 10% of CSHCN had unmet preventive dental care needs. Children of older age (15-17 y/o), African-Americans, non-English speakers, uninsured, from low socioeconomic level, living with low educated parents were significantly associated with having unmet preventive dental care needs. Furthermore, the percentage of children with unmet preventive dental needs increases gradually as they have more special care needs conditions. In the logistic regression model, insurance status, federal poverty level and the number of special care needs conditions remain significant determinants for having unmet preventive dental care among CSHCN. Conclusion: Our findings indicate there are significant disparities in the access to preventive dental care among CSHCN. Programs and policies targeting the barriers to preventive dental care to eliminate the disparities and improve the oral health of CSHCN need to be explored and implemented.