Changes in demand for dental care among Danish adults, 1975-90

The aims of this study were 1) to analyze changes in and determining factors for demand for dental care among Danish adults during 1975-90, and 2) to apply standard cohort analysis on sequential cross-sectional survey data, thereby enabling the separation and examination of age, period, and cohort effects. Samples of non-institutionalized Danes aged 15 years and more were interviewed in 1975 (n = 1204), 1980 (n = 1108), 1985 (n = 1123), and 1990 (n = 1003), in accordance with a standardized questionnaire. Overall demand for dental care increased from 59% in 1975 to 76% in 1990; the younger the respondents, the higher the demand. Standard cohort table analysis indicated that the main effect derived from cohort succession; that is, the higher demand of the new cohorts entering the population remained higher than that of previous cohorts. Logistic regression analysis indicated that from 1980 to 1990 the significant predictors for regular dental care shifted from being predominantly predisposing and need variables to predominantly enabling and need variables.