Does deprivation impact on the type of dental care received?

To identify factors which predict the types of dental treatment received, the team of researchers from the Dental Institute at King’s College London and the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy examined data which covered a four year period from 2008-2012 and looked at individual factors including demography, smoking status and whether patients were exempt from paying for treatment, as well as contextual factors such as deprivation based on area of residence.

They found that:

Co-author Professor Jenny Gallagher from King’s College London said, “We know from other research that people from areas of higher deprivation are more likely to suffer from tooth decay, less likely to attend regularly and only go for emergency care when in trouble. We want to encourage patients not to wait but to attend regularly so that dental disease can be picked up early and the need for extraction is reduced. Also to ensure that they take any preventive care and advice available to reduce the risk of further disease.