Increasing Dental Care for Children at Risk of Cavities
Author Information
Author(s): David Grembowski, Charles Spiekerman, Michael A. del Aguila, Maxwell Anderson, Debra Reynolds, Allison Ellersick, James Foster, Leslie Choate
Primary Institution: University of Washington
Hypothesis
Does education and financial incentives increase dentists' delivery of fluoride varnish and sealants to at-risk children?
Conclusion
The study found that while fluoride and sealant rates were higher in intervention offices, the differences were not statistically significant, and the intervention may have reduced children's dental fear.
Supporting Evidence
- Fluoride and sealant rates were greater in intervention offices than control offices.
- Parents in the intervention group reported less dental fear.
- Only 34% of invited offices consented to participate in the study.
Takeaway
The study tried to help dentists give more fluoride and sealants to kids who might get cavities, but not many dentists joined in, so it was hard to see if it worked.
Methodology
The study involved 53 dental offices that were randomized into intervention and control groups, with 689 children followed for 2 years.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reporting and low participation rates from dentists.
Limitations
Low dentist participation limited the study's power to detect significant effects.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 6-14 at risk for caries, covered by capitation dental insurance.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.05
Confidence Interval
(-.88, 0.00)
Statistical Significance
p=0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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