Utilization of Oral Health Services among Hispanics in California: A Systematic Literature Review

According to the Surgeon General of the United States, many Americans do not understand the importance of good dental hygiene, causing an overwhelming amount of disparities in oral health, especially in Hispanics. In general, Hispanics have the poorest dental hygiene care when compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Currently, there are little or no published research specifically on Hispanics living in California and their utilization of oral health services. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of existing literature based on in-depth analysis of peer-reviewed published articles with a goal to review utilization of oral health care services by Hispanics living in California. The study reviewed how levels of educational attainment, levels of acculturation, levels of household incomes, gender, and age are associated with dental health utilization among California Hispanics. The results show that although California Hispanics require oral health services, limited resources such as finances, proper knowledge, and access to care makes this population at higher risk towards preventative oral care.