Utilization of dental care after the introduction of the Swedish dental health insurance.

The dental care utilization rate in an urban Swedish population over an 11-year period was studied, starting at the time of the introduction of a national dental health insurance. The systematically selected samples comprised, for each calendar year of the period, approximately 11,000 inhabitants more than 20 years of age in the city of Göteborg. In 1976 and 1984 information on utilization was coupled to information about various demographic, socioeconomic, and disablement factors. In addition, a longitudinal study was performed of 8012 people who resided in Göteborg in 1976 and 1984, correlating dental attendance rates with the same factors. The results showed that dental care utilization increased among both men and women, mostly in age groups more than 65 years of age. Utilization rate in 1976 and in 1984 was independently associated with age, sex, income, marital status, disablement, and regions of the city, and it is concluded that the goal of the dental insurance act, which was, among other things, to contribute to a more equitable distribution of dental care, in many respects has not been achieved. Early identification of people with low utilization may provide a means to obtain the most pronounced improvement in dental health.