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Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
Oral health questions asked in BRFSS each year
Background
Oral Health Question Overview
Table of questions asked in each
year
See also:
Survey Questions in DRC
BRFSS Web site for complete BRFSS
Questionnaire instruments
Three oral health questions were included on the core questionnaire in 1999, 2002 and 2004.
In other years, oral health questions are offered as an optional module. Only states that chose to use the optional module have data for those years. Oral health questions were first offered as an optional module in 1995. The set of questions included in the optional module has changed twice. See Table of questions used in each year.
States can also add other oral health questions as state-added questions. State-added questions are not edited or evaluated by CDC. BRFSS maintains a list of which states used state-added questions by topic area, but does not maintain a library of the questions. For information about state-added oral health questions, contact the state dental director or the state BRFSS coordinator.
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) maintains a list of of state dental directors on its Web site: http://www.astdd.org.
BRFSS maintains a list of state BRFSS coordinators on its Web site:
http://www.cdc.gov/brfss.
Oral Health Question Overview
This content was abstracted from questionnaires published on the BRFSS Web site
http://www.cdc.gov/brfss.
Last Dental Visit (asked 1995-2004)
Variable name: LASTDEN2 (LASTDENT 1995-1998)
How long has it been since you last visited the dentist or a dental clinic?
(1999–2004: added “for any reason. Include visits to dental specialists, such as
orthodontists”)
1 Within the past year (1 to 12 months ago) (2001-2004: anytime less than 12
months ago)
2 Within the past 2 years (1 to 2 years ago) (2001-2004: 1 year but less than 2
years ago)
3 Within the past 5 years (2 to 5 years ago) (2001-2004: 2 years but less than5
years ago)
4 5 or more years ago
7 Don't know/Not sure
8 Never
9 Refused
How many teeth removed/lost (asked 1995-2004)
Variable name: RMVTEETH
How many of your permanent teeth have been removed because of tooth decay or gum
disease? Do not include teeth lost for other reasons, such as injury or
orthodontics?
(1999-2004: added “Include teeth lost due to “infection”; 2003 added: If wisdom
teeth are removed because of tooth decay or gum disease, they should be included
in the count for lost teeth.)
1 5 or fewer (2000–2004: changed to 1 to 5)
2 6 or more, but not all
3 All
8 None
7 Don't know/Not sure
9 Refused
Last Dental Cleaning (asked 1999-2004)
Variable name: DENCLEAN
How long has it been since you had your teeth "cleaned" by a dentist or dental
hygienist?
1 Within the past year (1 to 12 months ago) (2001-2004: anytime less than 12
months ago)
2 Within the past 2 years (1 to 2 years ago) (2001-2004: 1 year but less than 2
years ago)
3 Within the past 5 years (2 to 5 years ago) (2001-2004: 2 years but less than5
years ago)
4 5 or more years ago
7 Don't know/Not sure
8 Never
9 Refused
Reason no dental visit in past year (asked on modules 1995-1998, 2000-2001)
Variable name: REASDENT
What is the main reason you have not visited the dentist in the last year?
01= Fear, apprehension, nervousness, pain, dislike going
02= Cost
03= Do not have/know a dentist
04= Cannot get to the office/clinic (too far away, no transportation, no
appointments available)
05= No reason to go (no problems, no teeth)
06= Other priorities
07= Have not thought of it
08= Other
77= Don't know/Not sure
99= Refused
Dental insurance (asked 1995-1998, 2000-2001)
Variable name: DENTLINS
Do you have any kind of insurance coverage that pays for some or all of your
routine dental care, including dental insurance, prepaid plans such as HMOs, or
government plans such as Medicaid?
1= Yes
2= No
7= Don't know/Not sure
9= Refused