Expenditures on family dental care by active duty soldiers

Expenditures on family dental care by U.S. active duty soldiers were explored in this 1992 worldwide survey. Of 9,560 respondents (62% response rate), 7,187 claimed dependents and 5,569 provided reliable data. Mean annual expenditures and multinomial regression on a distribution of expenditures were calculated. Results show average family dental care expenditures were as follows: total sample, $135; childless couples, $59; couples with children, $154; and single parents, $120. Between 72 and 83% of families spent $0 on dental care. Excluding non-spenders, overall expenditures averaged as follows: total sample, $531; childless couples, $354; couples with children, $560; and single parents, $470. Regression results show that expenditures on family dental care by soldiers are influenced by different factors depending on family composition. Policy measures to encourage optimal dental care by families of active duty soldiers should focus on increasing insurance coverage and use.