An economic evaluation of a publicly funded dental prevention programme in regional and rural Victoria: an extrapolated analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the long-term cost-benefit of a community-wide, publicly-funded dental prevention programme.


METHODS
A modelled economic analysis which extrapolated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness results of a three-year comprehensive preventive dental programme conducted in a single cohort of adolescents in the non-fluoridated towns of Geelong and Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Assumptions were made for both benefits and costs. Sensitivity analysis was undertaken to report a range of estimates of potential programme benefits.


METHODS
All secondary colleges in two non-fluoridated regional centres and their surrounding rural areas.


METHODS
All Year 7 to 9 students; mean age range of 12.5 to 15.5 years.


RESULTS
The incremental benefit-to-cost ratios under all assumptions improved with each successive year of the community-wide programme and, even with the most conservative of assumptions, the overall ten-year benefit-to-cost ratio was above unity.


CONCLUSIONS
While the analysis has inherent limitations as a result of its reliance on a range of assumptions, the findings do suggest that there are benefits to be gained from the implementation of a comprehensive dental preventive programme throughout the secondary school system in non-fluoridated centres comparable to Geelong and Ballarat.
Crowley
S J
SJ
Centre for Health Program Evaluation, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Campain
A C
AC
Morgan
M V
MV
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000191:economics; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018803:Models, Economic; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000191:economics; D011313:Preventive Dentistry / Q000191:economics*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000191:economics; D011636:Public Health Dentistry / Q000191:economics*; D012040:Regional Health Planning / Q000191:economics; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000191:economics; D012571:School Dentistry / Q000191:economics; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D005459:Fluorides