Effect of Fluoride Application on Dental Care Utilization -Results from the Preventive Dental Health Service for Children in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Shu-Fen Chen, 陳淑芬
• Other Authors: 林恆慶
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/64hswd

碩士 === 臺北醫學大學 === 醫務管理學研究所 === 95 === Background: Previous research has shown that early intervention has the potential to reduce future dental caries and translate into significant cost savings for dental care among preschool-aged children. Preschool children who had an early preventive dental visit were more likely to use subsequent preventive services and experienced less dentally related costs. However, the economic implications of fluoride application to prevent early childhood caries are not well understood. Objective: A service of dental fluoride application for children under 5 years old twice a year in the “Preventive Dental Health Service for Children” by the BNHI began in July 2004. During these two prevent dental visits, physician provide fluoride application and counseling on infant oral hygiene. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of fluoride application on dental utilization. Methods: An experimental study with control group and fixed effect model were used. Two groups of people were observed from 2003 to 2005: (1) the study group (n=50,655), and (2) the control group (n=50,655). The unit of observation was person-year. In order to obtain more precise estimates and control for possible confounders, the difference-in-difference (DD) method were conducted. Results: Decreases in dental care utilizations were observed after dental fluoride application. In terms of disease-specific utilization, a decrease in the dental care utilizations for dental caries and pulpitis diseases has been detected after dental fluoride application. Conclusion: Preschool children who had fluoride application were experienced less dentally related costs. One limitation in the study that we only examined the short-term(one year) effects of dental fluoride application on dental care utilization, so it is important for future study to further investigate possible long-term effects of dental fluoride application on utilization.