Poster by Pang Vang and Karina De Guzman
Latinos have the highest periodontitis prevalence of all US racial-ethnic groups, placing them at high risk for oral health related diseases and complications from related inflammation. US Latino adults are also at high risk because they are less likely to have visited a dentist in the last year. A 2012 general health survey of 400 Merced County residents found that only 54.1% of respondents had visited a dentist in the last year and 54.4% reported dental insurance coverage. Only 48.4% of Hispanics Merced County residents reported a past year visit, compared to 65.4% of Whites.