Aim: To describe the self assessed dental health and utilization of dental care during the period 2004- 2008 and study patterns of prediction.

Material and Methods: To describe the self assessed dental health and utilization of dental care during the period 2004-2008 and study patterns of prediction.

Results: Very good and rather good dental health was on average reported by 73% of the responders. Variation over the period and between genders was small, but with a significant increase over time. Proportion with visit to a dentist or dental hygienist during the last two years was 88%, with small change over the studied period. The lowest proportion was obser- ved in age group 25-44, 80%. Seventeen percent had not visited a dentist/hygienist during the last three months although they reported need for treatment. This proportion decreased significantly over time independent of age and gender. Twelve percent of the participants reported that they had experienced need for dental care but had abstained for economic reasons, a change from 13% to 10%, with a most marked trend in the youngest group, 14% to 8%. Impaired dental health and low utilization of dental care was associated with low social and economic levels, life style factors as smoking, low physical ac- tivity, unfavourable dietary habits and prevalence of chronic disease and experience of lower well-being.

Conclusion: A large majority of the population report good dental health and high utilization of dental care, but approximately one in ten claims to have abstained from seeking dental care due to economic reasons. A comparison of the areas of explanatory factors, show that impaired dental health is equally well predicted by all. For models with utilization as dependent, the socio-economic factors had best predictive ability. Highest odds ratios were found in models for abstaining from needed dental care, with socio-economic factors as best predictors, and with better prediction among people above 45 years of age.