A study published in December led by a Harvard associate professor identified “dental deserts” across the U.S. and was among the first to map spatial accessibility to clinics nationally, the university announced Jan. 22.
Published in JAMA Network Open on Dec. 23, the study found that approximately 1.7 million people in the U.S. lacked access to dental clinics within a 30-minute drive. It also revealed that 24.7 million people lived in dental care shortage areas, with rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities facing the greatest barriers.
“The study is one of the first to map spatial accessibility to dental clinics nationally at a granular level,” the Harvard Gazette reported.
‘Missed by previous studies’
The research, led by Hawazin Elani, an assistant professor in oral health policy and epidemiology at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, analyzed data at the block group level—the smallest geographical unit defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We were able to identify areas with limited access to dental care that may have been missed by previous studies,” said Md. Shahinoor Rahman, a co-author of the study.
The analysis went beyond previous efforts to assess dental care access by incorporating a gravity-based method, which accounted for factors such as clinician availability, population demand, and socioeconomic data. These included racial and ethnic composition, age groups, poverty levels, educational attainment, median household income, and health insurance coverage.
The study revealed that counties with dental care shortage areas had approximately 15.6 per cent of the population living below the federal poverty level. Rural areas, which had fewer dentists, saw more uninsured residents and higher spatial disparities compared with urban regions.
While more white populations lived in rural areas with a shortage of dentists, Black and Hispanic populations in urban areas faced additional challenges due to segregation and concentrated poverty.
“This situation is likely even more dire for Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries, who face additional barriers due to low dentist participation, worsening existing disparities. This can lead to people putting off much-needed care,” Elani said.
The findings aim to inform workforce planning and policy interventions at federal and state levels to reduce disparities and encourage dentists to practice in underserved areas.
