Author(s)

Fnu Namrata¹, Zvi G. Loewy^2,3

¹Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, USA.
²Touro College of Pharmacy, New York, USA.
³School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.

The U.S. has experienced very high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases, along with high unemployment rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, on a global level, the pandemic has resulted in an increase in the unemployment rate, loss of insurance and an overall adverse social impact. In the social sector, there has been a huge gap in supply and demand; this has been especially apparent in the healthcare industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on high-contact industries, including dentistry. Causative factors have included social distancing, shortage of healthcare professionals and loss of insurance due to unemployment. The result has been a void in preventative oral health services. Limited information on the disproportionate access to oral healthcare, due to the increase in unemployment and corresponding loss of insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic is available. This study was designed to investigate the disparities in access to oral healthcare amidst the global economic crisis and rise in unemployment.

Economic Impact, Health Insurance, Inequalities

Namrata, F. and Loewy, Z. (2021) Disparities in Oral Healthcare Access Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Open Journal of Stomatology, 11, 437-442. doi: 10.4236/ojst.2021.1111038.