The present study utilized South Korea’s 2008 Community Health Survey Data to examine the differences in oral health-related indicators in each administrative district throughout South Korea, and to assess the relationship between oral-health related indicators and regional socioeconomic status as measured by material deprivation indices. Taking into account the characteristics of the data collected on an individual and regional basis, a multilevel analysis was conducted, and the results are as follows.

1. A multilevel logistic regression analysis on perceived oral health showed an intraclass correlation (ICC) of 0.02, confirming regional variation (p<0.01). However, when regions were ranked according to the regional deprivation index, there was no significant difference in perceived oral health among the highest and lowest ranked regions.

2. A multilevel logistic regression analysis on oral health behavior showed an ICC of 0.03 for tooth brushing after lunch and an ICC of 0.04 for usage of oral auxiliaries, demonstrating regional variation for both items (p<0.01). In particular, a clear regional variation was observed for the usage of oral auxiliaries, as the region with the lowest socioeconomic status had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.49 as compared to the region with the highest status (p < 0.01).

3. In the case of dental care service utilization, the ICCs for oral examination, scaling, and dental visits were 0.07, 0.02, and 0.01, respectively. Scaling, oral examinations, and dental visits had strong, significant correlations with the regional deprivation index. For oral examinations, the OR of the region with the lowest socioeconomic status to the region with the highest socioeconomic status was 0.59 (p<0.01); that for scaling was 0.58 (p<0.01); and for recent dental visits was 0.70 (p<0.01), demonstrating a marked difference. The ICC for unmet dental needs was 0.05, indicating a clear regional variation. However, in terms of the relationship with the regional deprivation index, the OR of the region with the lowest socioeconomic status to the region with the highest status was lower, at 0.57 (p<0.01). These findings imply that unmet dental needs were actually greater in regions with higher socioeconomic status.

The results suggest that regional socioeconomic status and oral health-related indicators have a strong relationship, and the degree and direction of the relationships vary. Thus, in order to enhance nationwide oral health and promote equity in health care utilization, efforts must be made to improve the regional socioeconomic environment. In addition, the relationship between regional characteristics and oral health must be recognized so that efforts can be made towards relevant policy interventions.