title: Impact of dental therapists on productivity and finances: III. FQHC-run, school-based dental care programs in Connecticut.
abstract: In many developed countries, the primary role of dental therapists is to care for children in school clinics. This article describes Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)-run, school-based dental programs in Connecticut and explores the theoretical financial impact of substituting dental therapists for dentists in these programs. In schools, dental hygienists screen children and provide preventive services, using portable equipment and temporary space. Children needing dentist services are referred to FQHC clinics or to FQHC-employed dentists who provide care in schools. The primary findings of this study are that school-based programs have considerable potential to reduce access disparities and the estimated reduction in per patient costs approaches 50 percent versus providing care in FQHC dental clinics. In terms of substituting dental therapists for dentists, the estimated additional financial savings was found to be about 5 percent. Nationally, FQHC-operated, school-based dental programs have the potential to increase Medicaid/CHIP utilization from the current 40 percent to 60 percent for a relatively modest increase in total expenditures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030, USA. Bailit@nso1.uchc.edu
authors.forename: Howard L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Bailit
authors.forename: Tryfon J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Beazoglou
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeVitto
authors.forename: Taegen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGowan
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Myne-Joslin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003237:Connecticut; D017046:Cost Savings; D003727:Dental Auxiliaries / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000191:economics; D003815:Dentists / Q000191:economics; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005376:Financial Management / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000191:economics; D011203:Poverty; D012571:School Dentistry / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012574:Schools / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States