Is the utilisation of dental care based on need or socioeconomic status? A study of dental care in Indonesia from 1999 to 2009

Objective: One of the goals of Indonesian health policy is 'Health for All'; this includes dental health care. Therefore, it is important to continually evaluate and dynamically assess the effects of government policies, particularly whether these policies promote or obstruct social justice. This study is intended to describe the need for and utilisation of dental care and how disparities in dental care provision to people of varying socioeconomic status (SES) have changed over time. Methods: We used secondary cross-sectional data from the Indonesian Socioeconomic Surveys for 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. The concentration index was used to describe disparities in need for and utilisation of dental care. Results: The concentration index showed a significant concentration of dental care utilisation among groups of higher SES. Conclusions: The use of dental care services is more dependent on ability to pay than on need for care. In addition, inequality in dental care in Indonesia persisted from 1999 to 2009.