Dental care utilization and unmet dental care among personnel of the Republic of Korea Army

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the utilization of dental service and the prevalence of unmet dental care among personnel of the Republic of Korea Army, as well as to identify factors associated with experiences of unmet dental care. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire, and data were analyzed using frequency analysis, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. Results: Among 175 military personnel, 14.9% reported unmet dental care needs. Unmet dental care needs were significantly more common among non-commissioned officers and officers than among enlisted personnel (p<0.001). By service status, long-term service members showed the highest prevalence of unmet dental care, followed by extended service members and short-term service members (p<0.001). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, non-commissioned officers and officers were significantly more likely to experience unmet dental care than enlisted personnel (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=6.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.13–22.67, p=0.001). Long-term service members had significantly higher odds of unmet dental care than short-term service members (aOR=21.93, 95% CI=5.37–89.50, p<0.001). Conclusions: Non-commissioned officers, officers, and long-term service members were identified to be at increased risk of unmet dental care. These findings suggest the need for targeted policies and organizational strategies to improve access to dental services for military personnel, especially those serving in long-term careers.