An examination of the dental utilization practices of adult survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the childhood cancer survivor study

Objectives: This study characterized the self-reported dental utilization practice of long-term survivors of childhood cancer, a group at increased risk for treatment-induced dental abnormalities. Methods: 9,434 survivors and a comparison group of 3,858 siblings completed a 289-item survey that included a question on when their last dental visit occurred. Results: Within the last year 60.4 percent of survivors reported a dental visit. The groups less likely to report a recent dental visit include minority subjects, subjects with low levels of educational attainment, subjects with annual household incomes <$20,000, and those without health insurance. No significant differences between survivors and siblings were seen. Male survivors exposed to cranial radiation were slightly more likely than other male survivors to report a recent dental visit (OR = 1.27, 95% Cl = 1. 12, 1.44). Conclusions: The dental utilization practices among survivors of childhood cancer are below recommended levels, even among those at highest risk for dental abnormalities.