American journal of preventive medicine
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Dental care is a critical component of healthy aging; however, emerging evidence suggests that having been previously incarcerated is a risk factor for not using dental care services. This study investigates the relationship between prior incarceration and dental care among older adults and assesses whether wealth and dental insurance explain this relationship. ⋯ The findings offer new evidence that prior incarceration is a risk factor for lacking the ability to utilize dental care among older adults and suggest that broader consequences of incarceration for wealth accumulation and access to dental insurance underpin this relationship. These results suggest the urgent need to expand access to affordable dental care services for older adults with a history of incarceration.