title: Impact of a Community Dental Access Program on Emergency Dental Admissions in Rural Maryland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the expansion of a community dental access program (CDP) in rural Maryland providing urgent dental care to low-income individuals, as well as the CDP's impact on dental-related visits to a regional emergency department (ED).
  
  
  METHODS
  We used de-identified CDP and ED claims data to construct a data set of weekly counts of CDP visits and dental-related ED visits among Maryland adults. A time series model examined the association over time between visits to the CDP and ED visits for fiscal years (FYs) 2011 through 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CDP served approximately 1600 unique clients across 2700 visits during FYs 2011 through 2015. The model suggested that if the CDP had not provided services during that time period, about 670 more dental-related visits to the ED would have occurred, resulting in $215 000 more in charges.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective ED dental diversion programs can result in substantial cost savings to taxpayers, and more appropriate and cost-effective care for the patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Community dental access programs may be a viable way to patch the dental safety net in rural communities while holistic solutions are developed.
authors.affiliation: Sandi Rowland is with Allegany Health Right, Cumberland, MD. Jonathon P. Leider is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Clare Davidson, Joanne Brady, and Alana Knudson are with NORC, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Sandi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.affiliation: Sandi Rowland is with Allegany Health Right, Cumberland, MD. Jonathon P. Leider is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Clare Davidson, Joanne Brady, and Alana Knudson are with NORC, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Jonathon P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leider
authors.affiliation: Sandi Rowland is with Allegany Health Right, Cumberland, MD. Jonathon P. Leider is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Clare Davidson, Joanne Brady, and Alana Knudson are with NORC, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Sandi Rowland is with Allegany Health Right, Cumberland, MD. Jonathon P. Leider is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Clare Davidson, Joanne Brady, and Alana Knudson are with NORC, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.affiliation: Sandi Rowland is with Allegany Health Right, Cumberland, MD. Jonathon P. Leider is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Clare Davidson, Joanne Brady, and Alana Knudson are with NORC, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Alana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knudson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019058:Community Networks; D003729:Dental Care; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D008396:Maryland; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D012424:Rural Population