LAUSR

BACKGROUND Besides the growth in Brazilian public oral health investments, no pre-school children preventive policies were done, and surveys demonstrated lower prevalences of use of dental service. AIM To verify trends in the use, type, and reason for seeking dental services among pre-school children considering time variations. METHODS This study used data of clinical examinations and structured interviews of three cross-sectional surveys of southern pre-school children in Brazil, from 2008, 2010, and 2013. Chi-square test for trends and hierarchical age-period-cohort (HAPC) analysis using the multilevel Poisson regression model assessing the influence of social and clinical variables in the use, type, and reason for seeking dental services were performed. RESULTS A total of 1765 pre-school children participated in all surveys. At least, one time-related variation affected one of three assessed outcomes. There was no significant change in prevalence of the use of dental services (75.8%, 77.4%, and 74.9%, respectively, for each year; P = 0.750). In the HAPC analysis, younger children and from low socio-economic backgrounds were less likely to have visited the dentist. CONCLUSION The prevalence of use of oral health services did not change and socio-economic inequalities persisted through the years, indicating a need of reviewing the policies to promote public health.