Table 3.
Age-Standardized Percentage of Adults Who Reported a Dental Visit in the Previous Year According to the National Medical Care Expenditure Survey, the National Medical Expenditure Survey, and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, United States, 1977, 1987, and 1996
| 1977 NMCES | 1987 NMES | 1996 MEPS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Percent | SE | Percent | SE | Percent | SE |
| Overall | 46.5 | 0.8 | 46.5 | 0.7 | 44.6 | 0.8 |
| Age | ||||||
| 25–44 years | 47.0 | 1.0 | 46.7 | 0.7 | 42.5 | 1.1 |
| 45–59 years | 45.5 | 1.0 | 45.9 | 0.9 | 49.4 | 0.9 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Men | 42.9 | 0.9 | 42.6 | 0.9 | 39.0 | 1.1 |
| Women | 49.8 | 0.9 | 50.1 | 0.8 | 50.0 | 0.8 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||
| Non-Hispanic White | 49.8 | 0.8 | 50.4 | 0.8 | 48.8 | 0.9 |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 25.6 | 1.3 | 29.0 | 1.1 | 29.8 | 1.5 |
| Hispanic* | 29.8 | 2.1 | 30.6 | 1.8 | 32.1 | 1.6 |
| Poverty status | ||||||
| At or above | 47.5 | 0.8 | 48.5 | 0.7 | 47.1 | 0.8 |
| Below | 32.6 | 1.8 | 27.7 | 1.8 | 24.5 | 1.8 |
| Unknown | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level of education | ||||||
| Less than 12 years | 31.2 | 1.1 | 24.9 | 1.1 | 22.2 | 1.3 |
| 12 years | 46.8 | 0.9 | 43.6 | 0.8 | 38.6 | 1.1 |
| Greater than 12 years | 60.4 | 1.1 | 58.7 | 0.9 | 54.9 | 0.9 |
*
Mexican Americans and all other persons of Latin American or Spanish descent.