Higher rates of emergency oral health care presentations among Indigenous Australians: a comparative public health study

Highlights: Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue? Service and access: Indigenous Australians have more emergency dental visits, showing the need for timely, preventive, and culturally safe dental care. Health equity and system burden: Heavy use of emergency and surgical care increases hospital and system load, highlighting the need for targeted public health strategies. Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health? This study highlights preventable disparities in emergency dental care among Indigenous Australians, showing inequities in access to timely and preventive oral health services. Findings can inform public health strategies and resource planning to reduce hospitalizations, improve oral health outcomes, and promote health equity. Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policy makers and/or researchers in public health? Indigenous Australians experience higher rates of emergency dental presentations and extractions, emphasizing the need for preventive care. Public health strategies should focus on addressing oral health inequities. Background: This study compared the reasons for dental presentations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adults at the Nepean Centre for Oral Health, NSW, Australia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients presenting between 1 July and 31 December 2019. Clinical notes were audited and categorized as either ‘emergency’ (pain, dental infection, dental trauma, loose teeth or dental implants, bleeding) or ‘conservative’ (dental check-ups, examinations, prosthodontic, restorative, periodontal, or non-emergency endodontic therapy). Results: A total of 4663 patients met the inclusion criteria; 61.6% were female, and 6.4% were identified as Indigenous Australians. Overall, 41.3% of presentations were for emergency dental care. Indigenous Australians were significantly more likely to present for dental emergencies compared with non-Indigenous (58.2% vs. 40.2%; χ²(1, N = 4663) = 53.4, p < 0.00001; OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.64–2.63), and were also more likely to undergo emergency tooth extractions (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Indigenous Australians demonstrated a higher proportion of emergency and oral surgery-related presentations and underwent tooth extractions as the primary treatment compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. These findings suggest a higher burden of oral disease and delayed access to general dental services among Indigenous Australians, highlighting the need for targeted and culturally appropriate public health interventions.