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- Title
School screening and parental reminders in increasing dental care for children in need: a retrospective cohort study.
- Authors
Nelson, Suchitra; Mandelaris, Jason; Ferretti, Gerald; Heima, Masahiro; Spiekerman, Charles; Milgrom, Peter
- Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study is to assess follow-up dental care received by children given baseline screening and referrals as part of an ongoing clinical trial. Methods: A retrospective study with two cohorts of kindergarten children who had baseline and follow-up (9 months later) dental exams was used. The parents/caregivers of children with routine restorative or urgent needs at baseline received a referral letter and telephone reminders to seek care for their child. Children with referrals were evaluated at follow-up exam for the receipt of care. A baseline caregiver questionnaire provided information on the individual and family characteristics of the children. Results: A total of 303 children had dental exams at both time periods. At baseline, 42 percent (126/303) received referrals and among the referred group19 percent (24/126) received follow-up care. A greater proportion with urgent referrals (10/30, 33 percent) received care than those with routine referrals (14/96, 15 percent). Baseline dmft decayed, missing, filled primary teeth and DMFT decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth was similar between children who did/did not receive follow-up care ( P = 0.178 and 0.491, respectively). Children receiving referrals had caregivers with less education, higher Medicaid participation, fewer routine care visits, poorer self-rating of teeth, and a higher proportion of children reporting tooth pain. Children without receipt of follow-up care had caregivers who were more likely to report not visiting a dentist within the last 5 years and a greater number of missed days from work because of tooth problems. Conclusion: The rate of dental utilization was low even with school screening, referral and parental reminders among poor, largely minority inner-city kindergarten children.
- Subjects
CHILDREN'S dental care; DENTAL care; TOOTHACHE; DENTAL caries; CLINICAL trials; DENTISTRY
- Publication
Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 2012, Vol 72, Issue 1, p45
- ISSN
0022-4006
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1752-7325.2011.00282.x