title: The effect of chairside chronic disease screenings by oral health professionals on health care costs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We estimated short-term health care cost savings that would result from oral health professionals performing chronic disease screenings.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used population data, estimates of chronic disease prevalence, and rates of medication adherence from the literature to estimate cost savings that would result from screening individuals aged 40 years and older who have seen a dentist but not a physician in the last 12 months. We estimated 1-year savings if patients identified during screening in a dental setting were referred to a physician, completed their referral, and started pharmacological treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We estimated that medical screenings for diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia in dental offices could save the health care system from $42.4 million ($13.51 per person screened) to $102.6 million ($32.72 per person screened) over 1 year, dependent on the rate of referral completion from the dental clinic to the physician's office.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral health professionals can potentially play a bigger role in detecting chronic disease in the US population. Additional prevention and monitoring activities over the long term could achieve even greater savings and health benefits.
authors: Kamyar Nasseh and Marko Vujicic are with the Health Policy Resources Center, American Dental Association, Chicago, IL. At the time of this study, Barbara Greenberg was with the Center for Global Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. Michael Glick is with the School of Dental Medicine, University of Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo.
authors: Kamyar
authors: K
authors: Nasseh
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Greenberg
authors: Marko
authors: M
authors: Vujicic
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Glick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003815:Dentists; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016903:Drug Monitoring