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Description:Key findings
• Data from the National Health Interview Survey
• In 2017, slightly less than one-third (29.2%) of adults aged 65 and over had dental insurance. The percentage with dental insurance was higher among those aged 65–74 (34.3%) compared with older age groups, and lower among Hispanic adults (17.5%) compared with other race and Hispanic-origin groups.
• Overall, approximately two-thirds of adults aged 65 and over had a dental visit in the past 12 months. Older adults who were poor (42.7%) or near poor (42.8%) were less likely to have had a dental visit compared with not-poor (74.4%) older adults.
• Non-Hispanic black (11.2%) and Hispanic (12.3%) adults aged 65 and over were more likely to have unmet need for dental care due to cost compared with non-Hispanic white (6.8%) and non-Hispanic Asian (5.9%) older adults.
Dental care is often an overlooked aspect of overall health care among older adults. Regular dental care is recommended for all older adults, even those with full dentures (1). Because Medicare does not cover routine dental care, older adults may have trouble accessing appropriate dental care (2). This report describes the prevalence, overall and by selected characteristics, of dental insurance, dental visits, and unmet need for dental care due to cost among adults aged 65 and over.
Suggested citation: Kramarow EA. Dental care among adults aged 65 and over, 2017. NCHS Data Brief, no 337. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019.
CS305718
db337-h.pdf
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