National Medical Expenditure Survey. Dental Services: A Comparison of Use,Expenditures, and Sources of Payment, 1977 and 1987. Research Findings 26

摘要

This report from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) summarizesthe use of and expenditures for dental services by the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States in 1987. Estimates include the probability of obtaining care from dentists, dental surgeons, oral surgeons, orthodontists, and dental assistants. Also presented are estimates of the mean number of visits per person and per user, the mean charge per visit, annual expenditures and sources of payment, and out-of-pocket expenses for dental care. These estimates are examined by age and sex, insurance coverage, race/ethnicity, family income as related to poverty status, employment status, and census region. Results from the 1987 NMES Household Survey are compared to estimates from the 1977 National Medical Care Expenditure Survey to determine if the relationships between dental use, expenditures, and charges and various population characteristics remained stable over the decade.