Dental Caries in Homeless Adults in Boston

Objectives : Information about the oral health status of the homeless is limited. The purpose of this study is to characterize the dental caries status among users of a dental treatment and referral program at homeless shelters in Boston, MA. Methods : Persons attending the program during a one-year period were assessed for evidence of dental caries experience by a single examiner. DMFT counts were abstracted from patient records. Results : The population examined (n=73) was 66 percent male with a mean age of 36 years. The racial composition was 51 percent African-American, 34 percent Caucasian, and 14 percent Hispanic. The 70 dentate people examined had a mean DFT of 11.1 (SD=6.1). The mean percent of DFT that was DT per person was 55.7 percent. Untreated caries was detected in 91.4 percent of those examined. Conclusions : These findings show evidence of previous dental services utilization by these homeless individuals, but demonstrate a high need for preventive and restorative dental therapy.