Description

For all dental visits (EVENTYPE = 5) where the respondent reported the visit included an additional procedure other than those named in the MEPS dental visit questionnaire (DENTPROCX) = 2), DENTOTHX reports the edited name of the additional procedure provided by the respondent.

DENTOTHX is an edited version of DENTOTH. Respondents reporting a dental visit for themselves or a family member were asked what they had done during that visit. If respondents reported they underwent a procedure other than the options listed in the interview showcard, that response was recorded in DENTOTH. For responses recorded in DENTOTH that corresponded to dental procedures listed on the interview showcard, the value of DENTPROCX was updated to "No," the value of DENTOTHX was updated to "NIU," and the value of the edited version of the relevant dental procedure was updated to "Yes." Beginning in 2015, DENTOTH was no longer offered on the public use MEPS files.

The types of dental procedures named in the interview questionnaire changed over time; please refer to the comparability tab for more information.

DENTOTHX is one of a set of dental visit variables reporting the type of dental provider seen, the dental services received, and the total expenditures overall and by payment source associated with each dental visit. For more information about the dental visit variables, please refer to the DENTGEN variable description.

DENTOTHX is a 25-character wide string variable. Special codes include the following:

NIU: 0000000000000000000000000
Unknown-Refused: 777777777777777777777777
Unknown-Not Ascertained: 8888888888888888888888888
Unknown-Don't Know: 9999999999999999999999999

Comparability

Changes in the dental section question about what procedures were performed at the dental visit affect the comparability of DENTOTHX over time. Changes in the specific types of dental procedures that were explicitly asked about in the dental care section of the MEPS-HC interview mean that the types of services included in DENTPROCX and DENTOTHX also change over time. After 2015, the MEPS dental care questions no longer asked explicitly about abscess or infection treatment (DENTABSCESS), bonding, whitening, or bleaching (DENTWHIT), or treatment for TMJ or TMD (DENTTMDTMJ). Beginning in 2016, these procedures are flagged in DENTPROCX and the verbatim response included in DENTOTHX.

Universe

Availability

• 1996-2023

Weights

• 1996-2023 : PERWEIGHT

Flags