Public dental programs for old-age pensioners in Norway: sociopolitical opinion among recipients

In the adult Norwegian population there is substantial support for the expansion of public programs for old-age pensioners. However, the perception of old-age pensioners concerning dental services as social welfare institutions is practically unknown. The purpose of this study was to provide some tentative data on this sociopolitical tissue. As part of a field experiment on delivery of dental services for old-age pensioners in the county of Troms, the old-age pensioners of one municipality (n = 572) were asked about which strategy public authorities should adhere to when allocating dental care resources to old-age pensioners. About 40% favored equal opportunities for all, while about 50% preferred dental services based upon need. This indicates a pattern of polarization, but this was not confirmed in a multivariate analysis (R2 = 0.01), which might be interpreted as indifference to the issue on the part of a majority of the pensioners. Only one subgroup deviated significantly from the aggregate distribution: of those who were negative to the pensioner role, 68% favored need-based dental services.