Abstract.At the present stage of improving the rural healthcare system, the task of transformational changes in ensuring the availability of dental care is socially significant, relating to one of the most important areas of state policy at the regional level. The dental health of the rural population determines the dental health of the country's residents, since every fourth citizen of Russia lives in rural areas, and in the spatial structure of the country, rural areas cover about two-thirds of the country's territory. The spatial structure of the Belgorod region is identical to the all-Russian one, the share of the rural population in the region is 34.7%. Objective of the study: in the context of assessing the availability of therapeutic dental care for patients living in rural areas, to determine the main medical and social characteristics of a group of rural patients receiving therapeutic dental care under the compulsory medical insurance in a regional dental clinic. The study materials.The work used social and hygienic, statistical, mathematical, analytical research methods. The medical records of patients living in rural areas and receiving therapeutic dental care under the compulsory medical insurance in a regional dental clinic were analyzed. A survey was conducted to determine the reasons that determine this frequency of visits. Results.The group of patients living in rural areas and receiving therapeutic dental care at the regional dental clinic has specific medical and social characteristics. The most characteristic features of this group are the predominance of young patients (20-35 years old) and the excess of women. In addition, there is a decrease in the proportion of older age groups, which may be due to the tendency to extract teeth that require complex endodontic treatment. In addition, the analysis revealed differences in the treatment needs of patients from different remote areas, which reflects the uneven availability of dental care. Discussion.The main reason for rural residents to visit the regional clinic is a refusal to treat at local central regional hospitals. Additional reasons for visiting the regional clinic, according to patients from the village, are the availability of modern equipment and a high level of qualification of doctors. Most dentists and dental surgeons working in the Central District Hospital are middle-aged women with the first qualification category, who also work in private medical organizations. During the interview, they stated that the refusal to perform endodontic treatment is due strictly to the clinical condition of the tooth. Conclusion.The results of the study emphasize the importance of further improving the system of primary health care in rural areas. Existing problems, such as non-compliance with the territorial-district principle of providing medical care and insufficient dental equipment in the Central District Hospital, lead to an increase in the workload of regional medical organizations, significantly limit the availability of dental care for rural residents.