Impact of dental insurance on adults’ oral health care, in Iran

Utilization of professional oral health care should be considered in organizing good oral health for the population. Use of oral health care services is affected by many factors.They depend on individual''s factors, characteristics of the care providers, and the availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of the care delivery system. The cost of care is often the barrier to seeking care. Several studies have shown that dental insurance increases demand and utilization of care services. In the present study,insurance elevated the demand for care and the highest demand was among persons with commercial insurance. Insured persons had a higher frequency of dental visits than did the non- insured. Type of services, however, did not differ between the insured and non-insured, except for extractions, which were more common among the non- insured. The present findings indicate a clear need to modify dental insurance systems in Iran to facilitate optimal use of oral health care services to maximize the oral health of the population. Special attention in insurance schemes should be focused on preventive care.