Issue S1/2024 focuses on the Utilisation of dental services by refugees in Germany. The utilisation of outpatient dental services is an important indicator for monitoring healthcare provision in Germany. In the general population, the 12-month prevalence of dental service utilization is 82.2 %. For refugees, this
indicator has hardly been measured, although studies suggest an objectively high need for dental care.
As part of the population-based cross-sectional RESPOND study (2018), self-reported health and healthcare, including the use of dental services, was assessed in three representative, random samples of refugees residing in reception and shared accommodation centres in Baden-Württemberg and Berlin.
The indicator was available for 68.8 % (594) of the 863 surveyed refugees. Overall, 38.2 % of the respondents stated that they had utilised dental services in the previous 12 months, whereas 41.4 % had never used any dental care in Germany.
The utilisation of dental services among refugees is very low compared to the level of utilisation in the general population. It reflects a discrepancy between access and needs.