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This study determined whether or not income and other structural components of 15 Boston neighborhood health centers in 1979 and 1985 had a systematic influence on their dental productivity as measured by dental visits. Health center revenue sources, health center costs, dental program costs, dental and medical manpower, and type of facility license were analyzed in relation to dental visits using secondary data from multiple sources. Dental costs and dental manpower were substantial predictors of dental visits for both periods of time. Stepwise regression analyses suggest that in 1979, the type of license and the type of grants received also were associated with the number of dental visits. In 1985, however, none of the revenue variables showed an association with dental visits when controlling for dental manpower and dental costs.

Data collected from 496 elders aged 75 years or older participating in the Massachusetts Health Care Panel Study were analyzed by means of multiple regression to determine the principal predictors of perceived need for care and of dental users. The relationship between perceived need and use of services also was examined. The significant variables influencing perceived need in elders were poorer self‐perceived oral health, having some teeth, and reporting a dental visit within two years. Dental users were best predicted by dentate status, a history of alcohol consumption, and perceived need for care. Although the variables of perceived need and being a user each influenced the other, both were more influenced by a common significant predictor variable, dentate status.