The funding of dental services among US adults aged 18 years and older - Recent trends in expenditures and sources of funding

Background. This article is the second in a series of two that focus on recent changes in the funding of dental services in the United States. Methods. This study is based on the analyses of data regarding dental expenditures among adults aged 18 years and older from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey and the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Both of these surveys were designed to produce national estimates of annual medical expenditures in the United States. Results. Overall, real per-patient dental expenditures among adults aged 18 years older who,had had a dental visit fell from $529.93 in 1987 to $467.29 in 1996. Conclusions. Recent decreases in dental expenditures may be related to a shift from restorative to diagnostic and preventive services. Practice Implications. In the future, dentists' gross revenues may grow more an increase in the number of patients seen than from an increase in the average revenue per patient.