Consumption of dental services by ethnic groups in Israel

This study analyzes the consumption of dental services in Israel and is based on data collected on households and their expenditures on dental health. Medical and social research in Israel generally take into account the significance of the ethnic dimenison to explain findings. In accordance with this established research mode, interview subjects were divided into two groups: households with both parents born in Asian or African countries, and others. Analysis of the data established a difference between the two groups in their expenditures on dental services. While several studies focused primarily on the sociologic aspects of the problem, little attempt has been made to isolate the influence of economic factors on dental care. This study demonstrates that income and other socioeconomic variables characterizing the various ethnic groups are the underlying causes for the difference in dental care expenditure.