Provision of public dental services in urban, rural and remote locations

Abstract

Geographic remoteness is a barrier in the receipt of comprehensive dental care, and contributes to inequalities in oral health among adults in Australia. The aim of this study was to determine whether dental care provided through the public sector varied between geographic locations. Data were collected from a cross-sectional sample of 10,230 visits made by dentate patients aged 18 years or more. On the basis of residential postcode, patients were categorised into urban, rural or remote locations. Public dental care provided to adults in non-urban locations was more likely to include restorative, oral surgery and prosthodontic services, but less likely to include preventive services.