To identify gender- and age-related associations between adult dental checkups and unmet dental care needs, we analyzed data of 14,000 participants, from the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). Data were collected via self-report questionnaires and interviews. The complex sample chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that 31.7% of participants had unmet dental care needs. Within the previous 12 months, 56.5% did not undertake dental checkups, and 29.3% did not use a dental service. Odds ratios (ORs) of the unmet dental needs were 8.87 (confidence interval (CI) = 7.80-10.09, p < 0.001) for those who did not use dental services and 1.28 (CI = 1.13-1.44, p < 0.001) for those who did not have dental checkups. Significant age-dependent associations between those not receiving dental checkups and the rate of unmet dental care included men and women aged 50-59 years and women ≥70 years. However, unmet dental care needs for men aged ≥70 years not undergoing dental checkups were not statistically significant (p = 0.311). Overall, it was found that the use of dental service and dental checkups were the influencing factors for unmet dental care needs.
Keywords: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES); dental care; dental checkup; dental service utilization; oral health.