Utilization of dental care services by Asians and native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders: United States, 1997-2000.

Objective: This report describes national estimates of dental care service utilization and unmet dental care needs due to cost for six Asian ethnic subgroups and the native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) population.

Methods: Combined data from the 1997-2000 National Health Interview Surveys (NHISs), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics, were analyzed to produce estimates for Asians and NHOPIs aged 2 years and over. Information on dental care service utilization and unmet dental care needs due to cost was self-reported by persons aged 18 years and over. For children aged 2-17 years, the information was collected from an adult who was knowledgeable about the child's health.

Results: Approximately 64% of Asian and 56% NHOPI persons had visited a dentist at least once in the past year. Utilization of dental care services, however, varies significantly by ethnic subgroup. Asian Indians were most likely to have never had a dental visit and the NHOPIs were most likely to experience unmet dental care needs in the past year. Among adults, Japanese Americans (68.2%) were most likely and NHOPIs (49.3%) were least likely to have had a dental visit in the past year. Underutilization of dental care services was most prevalent among Asian adults with poor or near poor poverty status, without health insurance coverage, and who had resided in the United States for less than 5 years. Among children, NHOPIs (82.0%) were most likely and Asian Indians (60.1%) were least likely to have had a dental visit in the past year. Underutilization was most prevalent among Asian children who were not living with their parents or living with a single parent, who had no insurance coverage, who had poor or near poor poverty status, and whose parents had less than 12 years of education.

Conclusions: Utilization of dental care services and unmet dental care needs due to cost vary among the Asian ethnic subgroups and the NHOPI population.