Objective: Studies in orthodontics have focused primarily on clinical care and techniques. Little, however, has been reported from epidemiological studies using national data on orthodontic dental visits as a measure of orthodontic service utilization and access to care in minority populations. We examined the effect of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic factors on pediatric orthodontic visits in the United States.
Methods: We analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 1996-2004. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were performed, with self-reported orthodontic visits in a given year as the main outcome variable.
Results: The prevalence of an orthodontic visit among children ages 9 to 18 years remained relatively constant (ranged between 14.3 percent and 16.8 percent) from 1996 to 2004. Multiple regression analyses revealed significantly lower odds of an orthodontic visit for Black and Hispanic children in comparison with White children. Males, children from low-income families, children eligible for Medicaid, and children with other public or no insurance were generally less likely to have made an orthodontic visit.
Conclusion: Substantial racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported orthodontic visits exist for Black and Hispanic children even after adjusting for possible covariates. Children from lower-income families and those without private health insurance were less likely to report an orthodontic visit in the United States.