Table 2.

Prevalence of self-reported unmet oral health care need among US adults aged 20–64 years by selected characteristics.^*

CHARACTERISTIC	SAMPLE SIZE, NO.	SELF-REPORTED UNMET ORAL HEALTH CARE NEED, % (STANDARD ERROR)	P VALUE†
Total	10,286	20.0 (0.7)
Age, y			.008
20–34	3,593	22.5 (1.0)
35–49	3,432	19.7 (1.0)
50–64	3,261	17.8 (1.1)
Sex			.009
Male	4,945	18.8 (0.8)
Female	5,341	21.2 (0.9)
Race or Ethnicity#			< .001
White, non-Hispanic	3,731	16.6 (0.8)
Black, non-Hispanic	2,381	28.3 (1.0)
Asian, non-Hispanic	1,330	10.8 (0.7)
Hispanic	2,478	30.4 (1.2)
Education Level			< .001
< High school	1,833	37.1 (1.6)
High school or equivalent	2,207	24.9 (1.2)
> High school	6,246	15.4 (0.7)
Income			< .001
< 200% federal poverty guidelines‡	4,868	36.2 (1.1)
≥ 200% federal poverty guidelines	5,418	11.2 (0.6)
Health Insurance Coverage			< .001
Private coverage	5,538	10.9 (0.5)
Public or other coverage	2,230	26.7 (1.4)
No coverage of any type	2,518	42.5 (1.4)
Self-reported General Health			< .001
Excellent, very good, good	8,204	17.1 (0.6)
Fair, poor	2,082	36.5 (1.3)
Smoking Status			< .001
Current smoker	2,231	34.2 (1.3)
Former smoker	1,905	20.4 (1.2)
Never	6,150	15.0 (0.7)
Untreated Caries Severity			< .001
0 teeth with untreated caries	7,195	13.0 (0.5)
1–3 teeth§	2,175	36.6 (1.2)
≥ 4 teeth¶	916	52.2 (1.9)
Untreated Caries Severity, Low Income			< .001
0 teeth with untreated caries	2,845	26.8 (1.2)
1–3 teeth§	1,351	46.9 (1.7)
≥ 4 teeth¶	672	58.0 (2.6)
Untreated Caries Severity, High Income			< .001
0 teeth with untreated dental caries	4,350	7.6 (0.5)
1–3 teeth§	824	25.3 (2.0)
≥ 4 teeth¶	244	41.4 (3.5)

^*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.¹²

^†Significant at P < .05 by χ² test.

^‡FPG: Federal poverty guidelines.

^§Mild to moderate untreated caries.

^¶Severe untreated caries.

^#366 respondents in the Race or Ethnicity category were excluded from the study.