Does school-based dental screening for children increase follow-up treatment at dental school clinics?
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a screening program and referral system in stimulating dental attendance of children in need of treatment at Bapuji Dental College and Hospital of Davangere, India. A total of fourteen schools in the Davangere area were selected randomly and divided into two groups: seven schools that had a dental screening program (study group, n=2100 children), and seven schools that did not have one (control group, n=2400 children). The attendance rate by members of the study group was determined during the three-month period from the date of initiating the school screening program. During this same period the students who visited the college from the control group underwent a dental examination. Chi-square tests were used to test the difference between different variables. The response rate for seeking treatment was 31 percent for the study group (34.2 percent for males; 26.2 percent for females) and 10 percent for the control group (9.6 percent for males; 10.5 percent for females). In both the groups, the treatment need was highest for dental caries (study group=36.3 percent, control group=11.1 percent) and least for fluorosis (study group=21.2 percent, control group=1.2 percent). The study demonstrated that screening and motivation significantly improved the percentage of school children who sought dental care.
Hebbal
Mamata
M
Department of Community Dentistry, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere 577 004, Karnataka, India. drmamatahebbal@yahoo.co.in
Nagarajappa
Ramesh
R
D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D009050:Fluorosis, Dental / Q000175:diagnosis; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis; D008403:Mass Screening; D009042:Motivation; D012571:School Dentistry