AIM: To evaluate the benefit-cost (B/C) and cost-effectiveness (C/E) of a long-term dental health education program to prevention early childhood caries (ECC) through home visits. METHODS: The data collected over a three year period in a dental health education programme (DHE), previously reported [Kowash et al., 2000] for infants aged 8 months at start were analysed for B/C and C/E. Dental caries indices (BASCD) for dmft and dmfs were used. Costs were based on British National Health Service (UK) fees for treating children by general dental practitioners and salaries for community dental officers in the Community Dental Services in the UK. Comparisons were made for B/C and C/E with results from a clinical trial of a slow releasing fluoride device (SRFD), community water fluoridation (CMF) and a school based fissure sealant program (FSP) using the hypothetical community of Niessen and Douglass, [1984]. RESULTS: The cavities, as ECC, saved over the three year period indicated a B/C ratio for the DHE of 5.21 compared with SRFD of 4.17; CWF of 1.15 and FSP of 0.42. The C/E results were 1.92, 2.40, 8.66 and 23.74 respectively. CONCLUSION: A dental health education program of home visits with mothers of young infants to prevent early childhood caries and starting at 8 months of age, gave better benefit-costs and costs effectiveness ratios than other preventive programs.
AIM: To evaluate the benefit-cost (B/C) and cost-effectiveness (C/E) of a long-term dental health education program to prevention early childhood caries (ECC) through home visits. METHODS: The data collected over a three year period in a dental health education programme (DHE), previously reported [Kowash et al., 2000] for infants aged 8 months at start were analysed for B/C and C/E. Dental caries indices (BASCD) for dmft and dmfs were used. Costs were based on British National Health Service (UK) fees for treating children by general dental practitioners and salaries for community dental officers in the Community Dental Services in the UK. Comparisons were made for B/C and C/E with results from a clinical trial of a slow releasing fluoride device (SRFD), community water fluoridation (CMF) and a school based fissure sealant program (FSP) using the hypothetical community of Niessen and Douglass, [1984]. RESULTS: The cavities, as ECC, saved over the three year period indicated a B/C ratio for the DHE of 5.21 compared with SRFD of 4.17; CWF of 1.15 and FSP of 0.42. The C/E results were 1.92, 2.40, 8.66 and 23.74 respectively. CONCLUSION: A dental health education program of home visits with mothers of young infants to prevent early childhood caries and starting at 8 months of age, gave better benefit-costs and costs effectiveness ratios than other preventive programs.
Authors: Lois A Wessel; Scott Wolpin; Jen Sheen; David Krol; Kathie Westpheling; Patricia McDuffie-Bell Journal: J Health Care Poor Underserved Date: 2005-05
Authors: M-L Mattila; P Rautava; M Aromaa; A Ojanlatva; P Paunio; L Hyssälä; H Helenius; M Sillanpää Journal: Caries Res Date: 2005 Mar-Apr Impact factor: 4.056
Authors: Susan O Griffin; Shillpa Naavaal; Christina Scherrer; Mona Patel; Sajal Chattopadhyay Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2016-11-16 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: Elisha Riggs; Nicky Kilpatrick; Linda Slack-Smith; Barbara Chadwick; Jane Yelland; M S Muthu; Judith C Gomersall Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-11-20
Authors: Margaret Pukallus; Kathryn Plonka; Sanjeewa Kularatna; Louisa Gordon; Adrian G Barnett; Laurence Walsh; W Kim Seow Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2013-05-14 Impact factor: 2.692