Satisfaction with military dental care by active duty soldiers

Abstract

In Fall 1992, a random, worldwide sample of 5,474 enlisted personnel and 4,036 officers was surveyed on satisfaction with 28 attributes of Army dental care using self-administered questionnaires. Simple descriptive statistics for each attribute were derived, as was a composite overall satisfaction score using factor analysis. Composite scores were regressed on demographics, dental utilization, and access barriers to identify those factors that have an impact on a soldier's overall satisfaction with Army dental care. Results show above average satisfaction with most attributes of Army dental care except access attributes. Dental utilization and age exerted a positive impact on overall satisfaction; access barriers and assignment to a combat unit had a negative impact. The impact of race was mixed. Age had the strongest impact on overall satisfaction. Results suggest that improving satisfaction with Army dental care must come from improving access. This can be attained only by increasing dental manpower and resources.