ArticleHeliyon2024
Impact of lack of transportation on access to dental care.
Article in Heliyon, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Evolving aspects of oral care in older adults: a systematic review and Meta-synthesis.BMC oral health · 2026Pooled it
- Examining the association of social needs with dental utilization.Frontiers in oral health · 2026Article
- Integrating oral health into primary healthcare: lessons from project OHE-NCHeW (oral health education for nurses and community health workers) in Nigeria.Frontiers in oral health · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objectives: Access to healthcare may be influenced by the availability of transportation. Nevertheless, the impact of transportation challenges on access to dental care has not been thoroughly examined. This study investigates the influence of transportation availability on dental care visits, dental cleanings, and exams. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study. The 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a national survey in the United States, was used for this study. Adults (≥18 years old) from the 2021 survey were included. The 2021 Full Year Consolidated File and the Dental Visits file were linked to identify the main independent variable and the outcomes.Weighted zero-inflated negative binomial regression and weighted logistic regression were employed to analyze the outcomes of dental care visits, and dental cleanings, and exams. Results: The study included a total of 204,704,044 adults, with an average age of 49 (SD: 18) years, and a 51 % female representation. Approximately 5.5 % (n=11,285,968) of the population reported facing transportation challenges. Subjects encountering transportation challenges exhibited a 26 % decrease in dental care visits compared to those without such challenges (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR)=0.74, p < 0.01, 95 % CI: 0.64-0.87). Individuals lacking transportation had 39 % lower odds of receiving a dental cleaning (odds ratio (OR)=0.61, p < 0.01, 95 % CI: 0.48-0.77) and 29 % lower odds of undergoing a checkup or exam (OR=0.71, p < 0.01, 95 % CI: 0.56-0.90). Conclusions: The study's findings underscore the significant impact of transportation challenges on access to dental care. Limited access to dental care due to transportation issues could exacerbate disparities in oral health outcomes. Implementing targeted interventions to address transportation challenges could contribute to improved oral health outcomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.