The Oral Health program collects, analyzes and reports a variety of state-level oral health data. A one-page synopsis is available.

Oral Health Status

Since 1987, the Oral Health program has conducted statewide oral health surveys of schoolchildren in hundreds of public elementary schools in Ohio about every five years. The most recent oral health survey was completed during the 2009-10 school year. Data from that survey, along with information about the oral health status of adults in Ohio can be found in the report, Oral Health Isn't Optional! A Report on the Oral Health of Ohioans and Their Access to Dental Care, 2011.  A two-page data brief is also available.

Beginning in the 1999-2000 school year, a small sample of schools was chosen to participate in annual oral health surveys as well. These schools are referred to as “sentinel” schools, as the data gleaned enable the program to detect changes in the oral health status of Ohio schoolchildren over time. Each year since, a survey at sentinel schools has been conducted, using the same methodology as that used for the statewide surveys.  Trend Data on the Oral Health of Ohio Schoolchildren presents findings from these surveys. 

Profile of oral health in Ohio presents state-level information from the Ohio Oral Health Surveillance System. The profile includes demographic indicators, measures of oral health status and access to dental care and the number of dental care resources in Ohio, such as licensed dentists and safety net dental clinics. The surveillance system is updated annually. 

Access to Dental Care

The Ohio Family Health Survey measures access to health care (including dental care), health status, health care utilization, unmet health care needs, health insurance coverage, employment trends and health risk factors.  Oral health findings of the 2008 survey indicate that dental care remains the largest unmet health care need for Ohio's children, regardless of race or ethnicity.  Results also show that while 14 percent of Ohio adults 18 years of age and older reported being uninsured for medical care, more than 39 percent reported having no dental coverage. This equates to over 2.2 million Ohio adults without dental coverage.  Results from the 2010 Ohio Family Health Survey were recently released, and are included in the Oral Health Isn't Optional! report (see the link above.) 

The following publications present statewide findings on access to dental care for young children in Ohio:
Oral health status and access to dental care for Ohio Head Start children
Parent/caregiver, staff and dentist perspectives on access to dental care issues for Ohio Head Start children
Ohio dentists' treatment of young children 

Oral Cancer

Cancer Incidence and Mortality Among Ohio Residents, 2003-2007 presents data collected via the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System.  Age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates for oral and pharyngeal cancer are presented by county of residence and gender. The average annual number and percent of cases are presented by county of residence and stage at diagnosis.

Tobacco Use

The Ohio Department of Health conducts the Ohio Youth Tobacco Survey every two years to determine tobacco use prevalence (including smokeless and other forms of tobacco), exposure to secondhand smoke, exposure to pro- and anti-tobacco media messages, knowledge and beliefs about tobacco use and future intent to use tobacco products among Ohio's youth.  The most recent survey was conducted in 2008.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey is a national survey of students in grades nine through 12 that measures the prevalence of behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disease and injury affecting the nation's youth and their loved ones.  The most recent Ohio data are for 2011.  Oral health-related data include tobacco use (including smokeless tobacco) and how recently students visited the dentist (found in the Preventive Health section).

Last Updated: 12/13/11

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