Addressing Oral Health Disparities: Insights from CareQuest Institute’s 2023 Survey

USA: CareQuest Institute’s 2023 State of Oral Health Equity in America annual survey has unveiled concerning disparities in oral health across the United States. The survey’s results shed light on the ongoing challenges, with discrimination and socioeconomic factors emerging as prominent contributors to these disparities.

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Key Findings Highlight Disparities

The research report, summarising key findings, brings attention to several crucial disparities in oral health:

Black Adults: More than half of Black adults, accounting for 52%, reported losing one or more permanent teeth due to decay or gum disease. In comparison, this statistic stood at 43% for all adults.

Income Disparity: A significant gap was observed in self-rated oral health based on income. Adults earning $100,000 or more annually were far more likely to rate their oral health as excellent, very good, or good, with 87% falling into this category. This contrasted with only 60% of individuals earning less than $30,000 per year.

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Home Ownership: Owning a home was closely associated with positive oral health outcomes. Those who owned homes were more likely to have a dental home, rate their oral health favourably, and maintain regular dental visits compared to renters or individuals living in homes without payment.

Discrimination: Alarming findings revealed that 14% of adults with disabilities reported experiencing discrimination in dental settings. Moreover, 27% disclosed instances where they were denied oral health care due to discrimination.

Implications for Oral Health Care

These outcomes, based on a nationally representative survey involving over 5,000 adults, underscore the pressing need for reforms in the oral health care system. To address these disparities and move towards an equitable, integrated, and accessible system, initiatives such as expanded dental coverage for all adult Medicaid enrollees are being called for.

The survey’s findings serve as a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done in bridging gaps in oral health care access and quality. Recognising the influence of discrimination and socioeconomic factors is a vital step towards crafting policies and interventions that can lead to a more equitable future in oral health across America.

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