Dental services use before and after inpatient admission among privately insured adults in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Oral health has been connected to worse outcomes among hospitalized patients, but access to oral health care services in the hospital setting is limited. It is unknown how a hospital admission affects subsequent dental services use.
METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of insurance claims data from a national private insurer. Patients were included if they were admitted to the hospital and had visited a dentist at least once in the year before or after admission. Total number of dental visits, as well as Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature codes associated with these visits in the year before and after a hospital stay, patient demographic characteristics, hospital admission diagnosis, and length of stay were recorded. Differences in dental services use before and after the hospital stay were calculated.
RESULTS: In total, 107,116 patients met inclusion criteria. There were fewer dental visits after admission (mean [standard deviation {SD}] 1.6 [1.7] than before admission (mean [SD] 1.9 [1.8]; P < .0001). Fewer procedures were recorded in the year after discharge (mean [SD] 7.0 [11.4] total Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature codes versus 8.5 [12.5] in the year before admission; P < .0001). The number of diagnostic and restorative services delivered was higher after admission, and the number of periodontic, endodontic, oral surgery, and prosthodontic services decreased (overall Pearson χ2, P < .0001).
CONCLUSIONS: Patients are less likely to visit a dentist after a hospital stay, although impact on oral health is unknown. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Hospitalization may contribute to already existing oral health disparities. Hospital teams and dentists should work together to enhance access to oral health care after hospital admission.