Utilization of alternative delivery programs in youth dental care in Denmark

Three groups of young adults were offered three different dental programs from ages 16 to 19: one group of 386 persons continued preventive and curative dental care in the Public Child Dental Health Service (Public group), one group of 161 persons was offered dental care with private dental practitioners of own choice with care paid by the municipality and the health insurance (Mixed group), and one group of 261 persons entered the general young adult dental program under the National Health Insurance with free choice of private dental practitioner with reimbursement of about 75% from the insurance (Private group). Almost 100% of the Public group used the dental services continuously. Less than half of the Mixed group and about two thirds of the Private group went regularly to a dentist, women more than men. Discrepancies were found between the expected utilization and actual utilization, and a tendency was noted to overrate self-reported utilization in relation to actual utilization. It is concluded that continuity of dental care and unambiguous organizational affiliation is a prerequisite for a high utilization rate, but it also seems that the outreaching work done by the child dental health service is effective with regard to utilization.