Association between unmet dental needs and school absenteeism because of illness or injury among U.S. school children and adolescents aged 6–17 years, 2011–2012

• We assessed the prevalence and impact of unmet dental needs among U.S. children and adolescents.
• Unmet dental need was defined as lack of access to dental care (preventive or therapeutic) when needed.
• In total, 15.8% had any unmet dental need (13.7% preventive need, 6.0% therapeutic need).
• Unmet therapeutic dental need was associated with increased rates of school absenteeism.
• Intensified efforts are needed to increase access to dental services among U.S. children and adolescents.

BackgroundWe assessed the prevalence of dental disease among U.S. children and adolescents aged 6–17 years, as well as the impact of unmet dental needs on school absenteeism because of illness/injury within the past 12 months.MethodsData were from the 2011/2012 National Survey of Children's Health (n = 65,680). Unmet dental need was defined as lack of access to appropriate and timely preventive or therapeutic dental healthcare when needed within the past 12 months. The impact of unmet dental needs on school absenteeism was measured using a multivariate generalized linear model with Poisson probability distribution (p < 0.05).ResultsWithin the past 12 months, 21.8% (10.8 million) of all U.S. children and adolescents aged 6–17 years had “a toothache, decayed teeth, or unfilled cavities.” Of all U.S. children and adolescents aged 6–17 years, 15.8% (7.8 million) reported any unmet dental need (i.e., preventive and/or therapeutic dental need) within the past 12 months. The mean number of days of school absence because of illness/injury was higher among students with an unmet therapeutic dental need in the presence of a dental condition compared to those reporting no unmet dental need (β = 0.25; p < 0.001).ConclusionsEnhanced and sustained efforts are needed to increase access to dental services among underserved U.S. children and adolescents.