We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Dental Utilization in a Pediatric Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers Before, During, and After Shutdown of a Pediatric Dental Clinic During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019-2021.
- Authors
Whyte, Fadra; Chan, Wai-Yin; Silverstein, Donna-Kritz; Conrad, Heather; Lee, Begem
- Abstract
Objectives: Limited data are available on how the closure of pediatric dental clinics because of the COVID-19 pandemic affected hospital pediatric emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. We evaluated changes in dental-related visits at a pediatric ED and associated urgent care centers (UCCs) after the shutdown of a large pediatric dental clinic because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective medical record review of 811 patients aged 0 to 17 years who presented to a pediatric ED or associated UCC at Rady Children's Hospital–San Diego for dental-related concerns from March 19, 2019, through January 17, 2021. Patients were classified into 3 periods: before shutdown, during shutdown, and after shutdown. We collected data on demographic characteristics; International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes; dental diagnosis; treatment; and COVID-19 test results. We compared the frequency and proportion of patients seen for dental-related concerns, dental diagnosis, and treatment during the 3 periods. Results: The proportion of dental-related concerns in the ED doubled during the shutdown (0.7%) and was 1.5 times higher after the shutdown (0.6%) compared with before the shutdown (0.4%; P <.001). Significantly more patients were seen in EDs than in UCCs during and after the shutdown than before the shutdown (P =.005). During and after the shutdown, admission to the hospital for antibiotic treatment increased significantly to 6.5% and 7.9%, respectively, compared with before the shutdown (2.8%; P =.022), and nonaerosolized procedures and ED/UCC discharge increased to 13.4% and 9.3%, respectively, compared with before the shutdown (6.2%; P =.015). Conclusions: Mitigating future closures of dental offices is important given the shifted burden of dental care to the ED.
- Subjects
UNITED States; CALIFORNIA; ANTIBIOTICS; DENTAL clinics; HOSPITAL emergency services; HOSPITAL closures; CHILDREN'S hospitals; CLINICS; RETROSPECTIVE studies; ACQUISITION of data; CHILDREN'S dental care; MEDICAL care use; MEDICAL records; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; STAY-at-home orders; COVID-19 pandemic
- Publication
Public Health Reports, 2023, Vol 138, Issue 3, p493
- ISSN
0033-3549
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/00333549221148176