Huabin Luo1, Raul I Garcia2, Mark E Moss3, Ronny A Bell1, Wanda Wright3, Bei Wu4. 1. Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA. 2. Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. 3. Department of Foundational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA. 4. Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York City, NY, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to describe trends of children being given dental checkup advice by primary care providers (PCPs) and having dental visits and to assess factors associated with being given dental checkup advice and having a dental visit. METHODS: Data were from the annual, cross-sectional Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 2001 to 2016. The sample included 126,773 children ages 2-17 years. We used predictive margins to estimate the probability of being given dental checkup advice and having a dental visit. We examined time trends of the proportion of children being given dental checkup advice from PCPs, as well as trends in the proportion of children having a dental visit from 2001 to 2016. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between being given dental checkup advice and having a dental visit. RESULTS: Overall, the proportion of children being given dental checkup advice increased from 31.4% in 2001 to 51.8% in 2016 (Trend P < 0.001). No significant increasing trend was found for having a dental visit among those being given dental checkup advice (Trend P > 0.05). Children being given dental checkup advice were more likely to have a dental visit (AOR = 1.54, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although there was an increase in the proportion of children being given advice to have dental checkups by PCPs from 2001 to 2016, there was no significant increase in having a dental visit among children being given the advice. More research is needed to better understand how dental care advice from a PCP can effectively motivate and facilitate dental care for children.
INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to describe trends of children being given dental checkup advice by primary care providers (PCPs) and having dental visits and to assess factors associated with being given dental checkup advice and having a dental visit. METHODS: Data were from the annual, cross-sectional Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 2001 to 2016. The sample included 126,773 children ages 2-17 years. We used predictive margins to estimate the probability of being given dental checkup advice and having a dental visit. We examined time trends of the proportion of children being given dental checkup advice from PCPs, as well as trends in the proportion of children having a dental visit from 2001 to 2016. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between being given dental checkup advice and having a dental visit. RESULTS: Overall, the proportion of children being given dental checkup advice increased from 31.4% in 2001 to 51.8% in 2016 (Trend P < 0.001). No significant increasing trend was found for having a dental visit among those being given dental checkup advice (Trend P > 0.05). Children being given dental checkup advice were more likely to have a dental visit (AOR = 1.54, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although there was an increase in the proportion of children being given advice to have dental checkups by PCPs from 2001 to 2016, there was no significant increase in having a dental visit among children being given the advice. More research is needed to better understand how dental care advice from a PCP can effectively motivate and facilitate dental care for children.
Authors: Jessica Y Lee; Kimon Divaris; Darren A DeWalt; A Diane Baker; Ziya Gizlice; R Gary Rozier; William F Vann Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-10-10 Impact factor: 3.240