BACKGROUND: Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a multidimensional, 
perception-based measure of how oral health affects social and physical 
functioning and self-image. OHRQoL is important for assessing women living with 
HIV (WLWH) who may have unmet dental needs and experience disparities that 
impact dental care accessibility.
METHODS: In 2016, the authors conducted an assessment of OHRQoL among a national 
sample of 1,526 WLWH in the Women's Interagency HIV Study using the Oral Health 
Impact Profile instrument, which assesses the frequency of 14 oral health impact 
items. OHRQoL was measured using multivariable linear regression with a negative 
binomial distribution to assess the association between report of a recent unmet 
dental need and OHRQoL.
RESULTS: "Fair or poor" oral health condition was reported by 37.8% (n = 576) of 
WLWH. Multivariable linear regression showed that unmet dental needs had the 
strongest positive association with poor OHRQoL (difference in Oral Health 
Impact Profile mean, 2.675; P < .001) compared with not having unmet needs. The 
frequency of dental care utilization was not associated with higher OHRQoL. 
Older age, fair or poor dental condition, smoking, symptoms of anxiety and 
loneliness, and poor OHRQoL were also associated with worse OHRQoL.
CONCLUSION: Self-perceived impact of oral health on social and physical function 
and self-image, as measured by OHRQoL, may be an easily assessable but 
underrecognized aspect of OHRQoL, particularly among women aging with HIV.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dentists should implement OHRQoL assessments in their 
management of the care of patients with HIV to identify those who do have 
significant oral health impacts.