Effect of a financial incentive on returning for post-operative care following general anesthesia.
The aim of this study was to examine whether the use of a ten dollar financial incentive improved parental compliance in returning for their child's post-operative care appointment following dental treatment under general anesthesia at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program.


METHODS
Parents/guardians of 69 children scheduled for dental treatment carried out under general anesthesia at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program from Oct 2007 to March 2008 were offered a $10 incentive if they returned for their one week post-operative care appointment. All subjects who returned received a $10 incentive by mail. A control consisting of 100 patients treated at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program from October 2006 to April 2007 was used to determine historical return rates for post-operative care after dental treatment under general anesthesia.


RESULTS
Sixty-six percent (66%) of the control group returned for their post-operative care appointment. Sixty-five percent (65%) of the incentive group returned for their post-operative care appointment.


CONCLUSIONS
Offering a $10 incentive did not increase the return rate for post-operative care following dental treatment under general anesthesia in a small study population.
Powers
Christina L
CL
College of Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536-0297, USA.
Mathu-Muju
Kavita R
KR
Bush
Heather M
HM
D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012201:Reward