Tooth decay is more severe among low income and minority children. Gross racial and income disparities exist in the amount of dental treatment children receive. The proportion of decayed teeth which have not been repaired is greater for lower income than higher income children in preschoolers, school age children and adolescents. Minority children have greater untreated decay than white children at all ages. Tooth loss in children is most commonly due to advanced untreated decay or trauma and is more common in minority children.
Parents report reater unmet treatment needs for dental treatment than any other health service.
Racial disparities exist in perceived need. The 1997 National Center for Health Statistics report on children s access to health care followed by medical, vision, prescription and mental health services. Low income families, except for the poorest, report markedly more dental care need than higher income families. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 1994 National Access to Care Survey showed disparity trends in desire for dental treatment by race, health status, geographic region, education, income, and health insurance status. Strength and Consistency of Disparity Findings Remarkable about these various studies and findings is their strength and consistency.