Global Barriers to Accessing Oral Health Care: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Oral diseases affect more than 3.5 billion people globally and represent a major yet largely preventable public health burden [1–3]. Despite advances in clinical dentistry, access to oral health care remains profoundly inequitable. This systematic review synthesizes global evidence on barriers to accessing oral health care, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations. A PRISMA 2020–guided search identified 78 eligible studies. Financial, geographic, structural, sociocultural, health literacy, and policy-level barriers were consistently reported. Vulnerable populations experience compounded and intersecting barriers. Addressing these challenges requires integration of oral health into universal health coverage, financial protection mechanisms, workforce reform, and culturally responsive care models [4–7].