Socio-demographic predictors of not having private dental insurance coverage: machine-learning algorithms may help identify the disadvantaged.

Journal: BMC public health
PMID:

Abstract

BACKGROUND: For accessing dental care in Canada, approximately 62% of the population has employment-based insurance, 6% have some publicly funded coverage, and 32% have to pay out-of pocket. Those with no insurance or public coverage find dental care more unaffordable compared to those with private insurance. To support the development of more comprehensive publicly funded dental care programs, it is important to understand the socio-demographic attributes of all those, who find dental care unaffordable.

Authors

  • Venkata R Duvvuri
    Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • Mona Abdelrehim
    Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. mona.abdelrehim@mail.utoronto.ca.
  • Sonica Singhal
    Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.