A comparative analysis of the influence of financing on Boston's neighborhood health center dental programs in 1979 and 1985

This study determined whether or not income and other structural components of 15 Boston neighborhood health centers in 1979 and 1985 had a systematic influence on their dental productivity as measured by dental visits. Health center revenue sources, health center costs, dental program costs, dental and medical manpower, and type of facility license were analyzed in relation to dental visits using secondary data from multiple sources. Dental costs and dental manpower were substantial predictors of dental visits for both periods of time. Stepwise regression analyses suggest that in 1979, the type of license and the type of grants received also were associated with the number of dental visits. In 1985, however, none of the revenue variables showed an association with dental visits when controlling for dental manpower and dental costs.