Changes in the utilization of outpatient and visiting dental care and per-attendance care cost by age groups during COVID-19 pandemic waves in Japan: A time-series analysis from LIFE study.

During the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, dental care utilization decreased in all age groups, whereas the average dental care cost per attendance increased. The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed the dental care provision pattern towards less frequent and more concentrated dental care to avoid the risk of infection.