Evaluation of utilization of insured rights to preventive dental examinations in primary health care in the Republic of Serbia in the period 2003-2006

The dental health sector reform in Serbia has commenced in order to implement health policy changes. Assessment of legally regulated citizens rights to preventive dental examination, revision of those rights and their promotion are one of the dental health reform priorities. The objective of this study was to assess the utilization of preventive dental examination (PDE) in Serbia in 2006 among different subject groups and different districts and to analyse financial resources spent for those measures. Also, study aims were to compare the utilization of rights to preventive dental examination in Republic of Serbia in period between 2003-2006. The retrospective analytical study of Public Health institute and Republican Statistical Office data were conducted. The comparative analytical method was used for assessment of preventive dental examinations within the given time frame from 2003 to 2006. Results achieved in realization of PDE show a broad spectre of district discrepancies. The variation factor depending on preventive examination or population group it is related to varies from 26.73% to 90.88%. Realization of preventive dental examinations in the Republic of Serbia was significantly lower than projected in the period 2003-2006.