A CORRELATIONAL STUDY BETWEEN INCOME BRACKET AND THE FREQUENCY OF DENTAL SERVICES RECEIVED BY GRADE 7 STUDENTS AT MARIANO PONCE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL S.Y. 2024–2025

Abstract

Oral health problems, particularly tooth decay, remain a major concern among Filipino youth, especially those aged 12 to 13. While this highlights the need for adequate dental services, access to such services remains inequitable due to various barriers—one of the most significant being insufficient household income. This study aimed to examine the correlation between household income brackets and the frequency of dental visits among Grade 7 students at Mariano Ponce National High School. The study employed a non-experimental research design to explore the relationship between the two variables. Using Slovin’s formula and convenience sampling, the researchers collected a total of 184 responses from students in the school's morning session group. Using Spearman’s rank correlation, the relationship between household income and the frequency of received dental services was found to be statistically significant, with ρ = 0.298 and p < 0.001. The result indicates a weak positive correlation, suggesting that while students from higher-income brackets tend to receive dental services more frequently, the relationship between household income and dental visit frequency is not strongly established. This implies that other factors may have a stronger influence on access to dental care. The findings underscore the need for further research to explore the various factors affecting access to dental services in the Philippines.