A 5-year retrospective analysis of employer-provided dental care for Finnish male industrial workers.
The treatment-mix, treatment time, and dental status of 268 male industrial workers entitled to employer-provided dental care were studied. The data were collected from treatment records of the covered workers over the 5-year period 1989-93. Treatment time was based on clinical treatment time recorded per patient visit, and the treatment procedure codes were reclassified into a treatment-mix according to American Dental Association categories, with a modification combining endodontics and restorative treatment. The mean number of check-ups followed by prescribed treatment (treatment courses) during the 5 years was 3.7 among those who had entered the in-house dental care program prior to the monitored period (old attenders). Their treatment time was stable, 57-63 min per year, while the first-year mean treatment time (170 min) of those who had entered the program during the study period (new attenders) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than the 5-year mean of the old attenders (61 min). Over the first 2 years, the treatment-mix of the new attenders showed a rise in diagnostic and preventive procedures from one-third to about one-half of all procedures, as it was for the old attenders. The new attenders' mean number of carious teeth (2.7), registered at the initial check-up visit, paralleled the mean recently demonstrated in the similar non-covered population. It was significantly higher than the 5-year mean of the old attenders (0.5) (P < 0.001), but declined to the same level after the first year of treatment. It was concluded that the studied program seemed to contribute to a stabilization of treatment-mix, and to the establishment of a shorter annual treatment time within the first 2 years of treatment.
Ahlberg
J
J
Department of Dental Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland. jari.ahlberg@helsinki.fi
Tuominen
R
R
Murtomaa
H
H
D000571:American Dental Association; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D003792:Dental Records; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D003778:Dentures; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D011861:Radiography, Dental; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012390:Root Canal Therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States