KF Roberts-Thomson, J Stewart, K Goldsmith

Despite reported concern over the dental care of young adults little research has been done on their use of dental services in Australia. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the patterns of dental utilization of young South Australian adults aged 20-24 years at baseline. Methods: A random sample of young adults was selected from the electoral roll. At baseline telephone interviews were conducted for 1261 adults aged 20-25 years and 644 had a dental inspection. These provided socio-demographic, health behaviour, dental visiting and oral health data. Subjects were interviewed 2.5 years later. Data were weighted to census estimates. Two dependent variables of making a dental visit and usually visiting for a problem were modelled separately for those living with parents and those not. Results: Response rate at follow-up was 60.3 per cent (n=760). Making a dental visit since baseline was associated in a logistic regression model with last visit at public clinic (OR=0.1) and perceived need for a visit (OR=0.3) for those living with parents. In contrast, for those not living with parents, making a dental visit since baseline was associated with difficulty paying a $100 bill (OR=0.4), being Australian born (OR=0.1) as well as last visit at a public clinic (OR=0.3). Usually visiting for a problem at both baseline and follow-up was associated in a logistic regression model with having tertiary education (OR=0.2) and with normative need for a filling (OR=2.7) for those living with parents, but only with insurance (OR=0.4) for those not living with parents. Conclusion: Factors associated with patterns of visiting in a young adult population varied with living arrangements, however public clinic use was significant in relation to having made a dental visit for both groups. Supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Dental Research Foundation.

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