Study Examines Association Between Income Loss During COVID-19 and Children’s Dental Care

A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association determined unmet pediatric dental care was more common in households with pandemic-related household job loss. These findings indicate a need for nontraditional dental delivery strategies to improve access to care for children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

From June 25 to July 2, 2020, investigators performed a cross-sectional household survey of 348 families in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Caregivers said the greatest unmet child healthcare need during the pandemic was dental care (16%), followed by medical care (5%). Forty percent of caregivers surveyed in this sample group reported job loss or a decrease in household income. 

“If unmet dental care continues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, nontraditional strategies for delivering dental care can be considered to improve access to care for children, such as teledentistry and oral health prevention services in primary care settings,” the authors note. The study is available here.