Unmet Dental Treatment Needs and Service Utilization in Myanmar: Evidence From the First National Oral Health Survey.

Abstract

Objectives: Unmet dental treatment need is a key indicator for oral health system planning, yet population-level data are lacking in Myanmar. This study assessed the prevalence, distribution, and factors associated with unmet dental treatment need among Myanmar adults.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from Myanmar national oral health survey 2016-2017, using stratified two-stage cluster sampling. A total of 2520 participants from two WHO index age groups (35-44: adults and 60-74: older adults) were included. Clinical oral examinations and self-administered questionnaires were conducted. Unmet treatment need, based on WHO intervention urgency, was dichotomized as no need or any need. Modified Poisson regression with robust variance was used.

Results: The prevalence of unmet dental treatment need was 66.0% among adults and 77.2% among older adults. Preventive or routine care was the most common need, followed by prompt treatment. Only 11.0% of adults and 9.2% of older adults visited a dentist within the past 2 years. Higher DMFT scores and the presence of periodontal pockets were strongly associated with unmet need in both age groups. Chewing tobacco use was associated with lower prevalence of unmet need in adults (95% CI: 0.75-0.91), while toothbrushing frequency of ≤ once a day was associated with higher prevalence in older adults (95% CI: 1.03-1.16).

Conclusions: Unmet dental treatment need is highly prevalent in Myanmar, with very low dental service utilization. Clinical disease severity is strongly associated with unmet need. Strengthening access to care and expanding preventive services are essential to address this burden.