Process indicators of dental care delivery to homeless individuals in a specialized socially oriented clinic: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Access to dental care for homeless individuals remains a substantial healthcare system challenge, driven by a combination of social, organizational, and legal barriers. Given the limited engagement of this population in planned healthcare services, the analysis of process characteristics of dental care delivery in specialized, socially oriented settings is of particular importance. AIM: This study aimed to characterize process indicators of dental care delivery to homeless individuals in a specialized, socially oriented dental clinic. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted based on the analysis of anonymized medical records from a specialized clinic for 2022–2025. Sociodemographic characteristics of patients, healthcare utilization indicators, the volume and structure of dental interventions, repeat visits, and patient encounters across different calendar years were analyzed. The analysis was descriptive and included calculation of absolute and relative indicators, as well as medians and interquartile ranges. RESULTS: Data from 547 patients were included. The study population was socially heterogeneous in terms of living conditions and documentation status. Changes in the number of unique patients, total visits, and dental interventions were observed across years. The structure of care included diagnostic, surgical, therapeutic, and preventive interventions, with variations in their proportions over time. Repeat visits were recorded in a subset of patients, including visits spanning two or more calendar years. CONCLUSION: The findings characterize organizational features of dental care delivery for homeless individuals in a specialized, socially oriented clinic and may inform planning and evaluation of similar care models for socially vulnerable populations. Study limitations include the retrospective design and data from a single clinic.