The authors’ statistical models examined the extent to which (1) the use of dental services and (2) whether needed dental care is considered unaffordable are associated with the financial and nonfinancial characteristics of individuals. In the following analysis, utilization of dental care serves as a proxy for access to care and financial barriers that prevent an individual from being able to afford needed dental care serve as a proxy for lack of access to care. The analysis used data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) for the years 2001 and 2003

Findings: Receiving dental care is positively related to having dental insurance; being female; increasing age; being white, Hispanic or Asian; higher levels of education; higher levels of family income; better health status; and being unmarried. In contrast, being more likely to perceive financial barriers to receiving needed dental care is positively related to lacking dental insurance, being female, being younger, being black or other race, having less education, lower family income, and having worse health status.​