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Updated: Mar 26, 2026
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Factors Associated with Routine Dental Attendance among Aboriginal Australians
Objectives:
To determine factors associated with routine dental attendance in Aboriginal Australians.
Methods:
Data of 271 Aboriginal adults residing in Australia's Northern Territory were used. Routine dental attendance was defined as last visiting a dentist less than one year ago or visiting a dentist for a check-up. Both bivariate and multivariable analytical techniques were used.
Results:
While 27% visited a dentist in the past year, 29% of these visited for a check-up. In bivariate analysis, being female, low psychological distress, and low clinical attachment loss (CAL) were associated with visiting a dentist within last year. Being aged younger than 39 years, male, no oral health impairment, being caries-free, low CAL, and low apolipoprotein B were associated with visiting for a check-up. Clinical attachment loss remained associated with visiting a dentist less than one year ago while being younger than 39 years and having no oral health impairment remained associated with usually visiting for a check-up in multivariable analysis.
Conclusions:
Younger age, no oral health impairment, and low CAL were associated with routine dental attendance among Indigenous Australians.
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