Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Micro-dissection of Enamel Organ from Mandibular Incisor of Rats Exposed to Environmental Toxicants
08:12

Micro-dissection of Enamel Organ from Mandibular Incisor of Rats Exposed to Environmental Toxicants

Published on: March 29, 2018

Determinants of dental service utilization among 2 to 11-year-old California children

Umo Isong1, Jane A Weintraub

  • 1Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of California, 3333 California Street, Ste. 495, San Francisco, CA 94143-1361, USA. isong@itsa.ucsf.edu

Journal of Public Health Dentistry
|September 21, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Dental service utilization in California children (ages 2-11) is influenced by parental, child, and household factors. School-aged, insured children from high-income families were more likely to have recent dental visits.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • The 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) collected data on health care access and insurance coverage.
  • Understanding dental service utilization is crucial for pediatric oral health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify factors associated with dental service utilization among children aged 2 to 11 years in California.
  • To analyze predictors of dental visits and preventive dental care access in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a random digit dialing telephone survey.
  • Collected information on the last dental visit for 10,569 children aged 2-11 years from the most knowledgeable household adult.

Main Results:

  • In 2001, 73.5% of children had a dental visit, and 58.2% had a preventive visit; 18.3% had never visited a dentist.
  • Nearly 1 million children, primarily aged 2-5 years, had never seen a dentist.
  • Children with recent dental visits were typically school-aged, insured, and from high-income households. Parental age and education also predicted utilization.

Conclusions:

  • Dental service utilization among children is multifactorial, influenced by parental, child, and household characteristics.
  • Targeted interventions may be needed for underserved populations, particularly young children with no prior dental experience.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Teeth01:15

Teeth

The formation of teeth, also known as odontogenesis, is a complex process that begins in utero, around the sixth week of embryonic development. There are three stages to this process: the bud stage, the cap stage, and the bell stage.
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
The Availability Heuristic01:08

The Availability Heuristic

A heuristic is a general problem-solving framework (Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). You can think of these as mental shortcuts that are used to solve problems. Different types of heuristics are used in different types of situations, and the impulse to use a heuristic occurs when one of five conditions is met (Pratkanis, 1989):
Tooth Anatomy01:21

Tooth Anatomy

The human tooth enables us to eat a variety of foods, speak clearly, and even aid in shaping our faces. Teeth are composed of various elements that work together. Here's a detailed look at the anatomy of a human tooth.
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Preventive Healthcare Services01:30

Preventive Healthcare Services

Preventive healthcare services keep people healthy via frequent check-ups, screening, and counseling. They primarily aid in disease prevention rather than treating an acute or chronic illness. Preventive treatment also keeps individuals productive and energetic, allowing them to work well into their retirement years. Examples of preventive care services include: