The Effect of an Alternative Delivery System on Social Class Variations in Utilization of Dental Care Services PDF Download

Author: Evelyn Swanson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dental care
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In the fall of 1974, the Province of Saskatchewan implemented the first stage of a voluntary dental plan for children. Through this government-operated program, preventive and treatment services are provided at no charge by teams of salaried dentists, dental nurses and dental assistants. Within the first seven months following implementation, approximately eighty percent of all six-year old children (the first age group eligible) had been enrolled in the Plan by their parents. The focus of the study was on the remaining twenty percent of eligible children who had not been enrolled. A review of the literature indicated that lower class members were less likely than higher class members to utilize traditional sources of dental care services, even when these services were provided under a variety of insurance plans. The reasons cited for underutilization by lower class members generally involved social and psychological characteristics of the lower classes themselves--lack of financial resources, ignorance, apathy and fear. Very little consideration was given to the characteristics of the dental care delivery system and its effect on utilization behavior. In view of the growing body of literature on the interplay between characteristics of the organization of health services and those of the population being served, the organization of the Saskatchewan Dental Plan was reviewed. Under this Plan, convenience to the parent was maximized; financial and geographical barriers to care were removed; and the quality of care was expected to be high. Because of these features, it was hypothesized that the Plan would meet the needs of the majority of members of all social classes. In other words, it was expected that the introduction of this alternative delivery system in Saskatchewan would result in an equitable distribution of dental care services throughout the eligible population. The results of a sample survey of parents who did not initially enroll their children in the Plan supported the hypothesis.