title: Longitudinal analysis of dental services provided to urban low-income (Medicaid) preschool children seeking initial dental care.
abstract: This retrospective longitudinal study analyzed profile and cost of dental services provided to urban low-income (Medicaid) preschool children seeking initial dental care. Clinical and sociodemographic data for Medicaid children, ages five years and under at the time of their first dental visit, were obtained from the dental records of an urban community health center clinic located in a fluoridated area. The sample consisted predominantly of minority children (males = 54; females = 43) who were initially seen during a continuous six-month period in 1991. The children were then observed for a period of one year from the date of first service. At the initial dental visit, the children had a mean age of 3.7 years and dmft of 4.4 with two-thirds of them exhibiting dental caries. The children made an average of 2.3 visits with more than two-fifths of them receiving at least one treatment service during the year. Children four years of age and older at the initial visit, had greater caries prevalence, higher mean dmft, made more dental visits and incurred greater annual expenditure. Greater proportion of females and older children (> or = 4 years) received restorations and extractions. It is concluded that treatment for dental caries is a significant dental service provided to urban low-income (Medicaid) preschool children seeking initial dental care. The results of this study suggest that preschool programs should target these children and promote an initial dental visit before four years of age particularly among females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nainar
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008489:Medical Indigency / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data