Oral Care Needs Amongst Disadvantaged Migrants in France

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Oral Health Epidemiology
• Migrant Health

Background:

• Disadvantaged migrant populations experience elevated health risks, impacting oral well-being.
• Barriers to dental care access are prevalent in these vulnerable groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the oral care requirements of disadvantaged migrant populations.
• To identify obstacles faced by migrants in accessing dental services.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing secondary data from a French health center serving migrants.
• Data collected via clinical oral examination and analyzed for consultation reasons, diagnoses, treatments, prescriptions, and referrals.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of dental decay (72.3%) was observed.
• Nearly half of analyzed files (59/130) indicated a need for major oral health care.
• Lack of host country language proficiency correlated with significant oral care needs (P < .02).

Conclusions:

• Disadvantaged migrants in France present substantial unmet oral health needs.
• Improved access to dental care, including interpreter services, is crucial for this population.