Utilization of dental services and associated factors among preschool children in China

Abstract Background This study sought to evaluate dental utilization among 3-,4-, and 5-year-old children in China and to use Andersen’s behavioural model to explore influencing factors, thereby providing a reference for future policy making. Methods This study is a cross-sectional study. Data of 40,305 children aged 3–5 years were extracted from the Fourth National Oral Health Survey, which was performed from August 2015 to December 2016. Patient data were collected using a questionnaire, which was answered by the child’s parents, and clinical data were collected during a clinical examination. Stratification and survey weighting were incorporated into the complex survey design. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations and hierarchical logistic regression results were then analysed to find the factors associated with oral health service utilization. Results The oral health service utilization prevalence during the prior 12 months were 9.5% (95%CI: 8.1–11.1%) among 3-year-old children, 12.1% (95%CI: 10.8–13.5%) among 4-year-old children, and 17.5% (95%CI: 15.6–19.4%) among 5-year-old children. “No dental diseases” (71.3%) and “dental disease was not severe” (12.4%) were the principal reasons why children had not attended a dental visit in the past 12 months. The children whose parents had a bachelor’s degree or higher (OR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.97–2.67, p