Objective: To explore the changes in the accessibility of dental services among middle-class Canadians in response to recent changes in the labour market and the increasing costs of dental plans. Methods: Secondary analyses of all Canadian surveys that collected information on dental insurance, utilization and out-of-pocket expenditures were conducted. Descriptive analyses were used to identify and compare trends among middle-class against the Canadian average. Results: Since 1996, the number of insured middle-class grew from 43% to 48%, with the number perceiving cost-barriers to dental care increasing by 2.7 times. In 2009, 30% of middle-class visited a dentist only when emergency happened. Since 1978, fewer middle-income households spent out-of-pocket on dental care, while per capita costs per household spending increased. Compared to national average, middle-class trends implied to poorer access. Conclusions: Access to dental care issues might be ascending from lower income sectors to involve middle-income earners as well.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/32276 |
| Date | 21 March 2012 |
| Creators | Sadeghi, Laleh |
| Contributors | Quiñonez, Carlos |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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