Introduction: Since 2008, South Korea has implemented oral examinations as part of its national health insurance coverage for all citizens. Despite this, only 26.5% of adults underwent oral checkups in 2022, a stark contrast to the more than 70% who receive health examinations annually. The underutilization of oral health services highlights a significant disparity, influenced by regional differences and local-level factors. This study aims to identify these disparities and local factors in order to enhance oral examination rates countywide.

Method: Data were collected from the Korean Statistical Information Service. The dependent variable was the oral examination rate in 229 cities, counties, and districts. The independent variable was the number of oral examination centers (per 100,000 people) in these areas. Local-level variables included demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Results: Oral examination rates were higher in cities or districts than counties. There was a significant correlation between oral examination rates and several factors: the number of oral examination centers (r=0.234), health examination rates (r=0.583), population density (r=0.312), and employment rate (r=-0.251). In regression analysis, the number of oral examination centers affected oral examination rates (β=0.234, p<0.001). However, after accounting for health examination rates, it was not significant (β=0.087, p=0.122).

Discussion and Conclusion: To mitigate regional disparities, it is critical to increase the number of oral examination centers, especially in underserved areas, and to explore integrating oral checkups into routine health examinations. Such approaches could improve accessibility to oral health services within communities. Regional-level tailored strategies are essential to advance oral health outcomes.

Background: Globally, oral health diseases surpass all other non-communicable diseases in prevalence; however, they are not well studied in underserved regions, where accessibility to dental services and oral health education is disparately worse. In Ecuador, further research is needed to understand such disparities better. We aimed to describe the effect of oral health disease on individuals’ quality of life and how social disparities and cultural beliefs shape this.

Methods: Individuals 18+ receiving care at mobile or worksite clinics from May-October 2023 were included. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measures, and extra-oral photographs (EOP).

Results: The sample (n=528) included mostly females (56.25%) with a mean age of 34.4±9.44. Most participants (88.26%) reported brushing at least twice daily, and less than 5% reported flossing at least once per day. The median OHRQoL score was 4, significantly higher among individuals ≥40 years old, holding high school degrees, or not brushing or flossing regularly (p<0.05). Identified barriers to good oral health included affordability, time, and forgetfulness. Participants not receiving care with a consistent provider reported fear as an additional barrier. Participants receiving worksite dental services reported these barriers to be alleviated. Dental providers were the primary source of oral hygiene education. Most participants reported oral health concerns, most commonly pain, decay, dysphagia, and halitosis - consistent with EOP analysis.

Conclusion: Findings underscore a need for further research to guide development of multi-level interventions to advance oral health equity.

Background: Oral health assessment is crucial for overall well-being, and the Oral Health Status Index (OHSI) provides a comprehensive evaluation within a population. This study aims to assess the OHSI of individuals receiving dental care at Novulis facilities in Ecuador, contributing to understanding oral health challenges in this population.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 528 adults aged ≥18 years receiving dental care from Novulis facilities in Ecuador. Data were collected through dental examinations, demographic questionnaires, and the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measure. The OHSI, ranging from -54 to 100 (higher scores indicating better oral health), was calculated based on decayed, missing, filled teeth and periodontal health. Descriptive analyses, bivariate analyses, and multiple linear regression modeling were performed.

Results: The mean OHSI score was 85.06 (SD±10.21), indicating reasonable oral health status. However, 55% of decayed teeth were untreated (D/DF), and only 4% of missing teeth were replaced (R/M), suggesting unmet treatment needs. Older age, infrequent brushing, no flossing, and tobacco use were significantly associated with poorer OHSI scores. Females demonstrated better utilization of restorative services compared to males. The predictors explained 34% of the variance in OHSI scores.

Conclusion: This study highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve oral health, such as promoting optimal oral hygiene practices, smoking cessation, and expanding access to restorative and prosthodontic dental services. Addressing subgroup-specific challenges and barriers to dental care is crucial for mitigating oral health disparities and enhancing overall well-being in this population.

Objective. Community oral health assessments help determine oral health status and plan prevention and treatment programs for vulnerable populations. This study aimed to assess the oral health status index and related quality of life of the people living in Tanzania’s Burere, Nyambogo, and Roche villages.

Methods. This study was conducted on adult participants (n=176) residing in rural Tanzania. Intraoral examinations included decayed missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index and comprehensive periodontal inflammatory burden index (CPIBI) to determine oral health status. Qualitative interviews (n=43) were conducted to understand oral hygiene habits, dental problems, and barriers to accessing care. Quantitative data was analyzed using logistic regression, T-test, chi-squared test, and Pearson’s statistics, whereas qualitative data were analyzed via thematic analysis using Nvivo.

Results. The mean DMFT value reported by sample participants was 5.2 (SD=5), whereas the mean CPIBI index value was 3.5 (SD=1.4). Logistic regression results showed a significant association between higher levels of DMFT and CPIBI among females. The qualitative data provided three themes, which revealed suboptimal disease knowledge, attitudes, behavior, lack of availability of dental care, and local practices, which are believed to contribute to poor oral health in this population.

Conclusion. Findings from the study have shown that poor oral health status and related quality of life may be attributed to various cultural and socioeconomic factors. Lack of dental care services and poor oral health outcomes necessitate a solid need to implement innovative and sustainable prevention and treatment programs to improve the population’s oral and overall health.