Socioeconomic determinants of dental care during pregnancy in Cali, Colombia

The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of dental care for pregnant women in Cali, Colombia, and to identify socioeconomic and health services factors associated with access to dental care during pregnancy. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 993 post-partum women who had given birth in public and private clinics in 2012. Multivariate analysis showed that dental care was associated with: economic resources (86.6% sufficient resources versus 72.5% insufficient resources; OR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1-2.8), schooling (88% complete versus 74% incomplete secondary school, OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.7), and receiving information on oral health and dental care during prenatal care (86.4%: yes versus 42.9%: no, OR = 5.7; 95% CI: 3.1-10.0). Access to dental care was less frequent among pregnant women with low socioeconomic status as compared to those with better living conditions.