Variation in dental service provision among adult migrant public-funded patients

OBJECTIVE: To examine type of care, oral health status and service patterns by country of birth and language. METHODS: A random sample of public-funded patients (n = 6, 109) was surveyed in 1995-96. RESULTS: Emergency care was highest among overseas-born patients who spoke a non-English language at home; edentulism was highest among Australian-born/English only patients; while a higher percentage of Australian-born persons were in the periodontal health category (chi 2; p < 0.05). Differences in caries experience were generally small (ANOVA; p < 0.05). Service provision varied by country of birth/language after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, type of care, and oral health status in six service areas (logistic regression; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Service patterns may reflect behavioural and cultural factors of patients or providers operating independently of socio-demographic and oral health status variables. IMPLICATIONS: Variation and potential inequality in service patterns related to cultural factors existed within a group of disadvantaged patients.