111 - Impact of Child and Parent Characteristics on Dental Healthcare Utilization and Outcomes

Abstract:

Purpose: The American Academies of Pediatrics and Pediatric Dentistry supports medical-dental integration to promote early intervention in oral disease. Oral health guidance during well-child visits (WCV) facilitates timely referral of children for oral care. The study explored the effect of child [sex, age, number of preventative dental visits (PDV), and comorbidities] and parent [employment, family size, comorbidities, and number of PDV] characteristics on service claims.

Methods: Administrative claims (for dental pain, extraction, anesthesia and emergency) data for 198,433 children aged 0-6 years covered under private insurance plans from over 25 medium- and large-sized employers that had a at least one WCV and dental visit from 2019-2021 were identified from the Merative L.P. (Ann Arbor, MI). Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to estimate the odds ratio coefficients.

Results: There were higher odds of dental pain and anesthesia claims in males (OR=1.13; CI: 1.02, 1.25) compared to females. With increased age, there were increased odds (OR=1.18; CI: 1.12, 1.24) of dental claims. Furthermore, as the PDV for the child increased from zero to one visit, there were decreased odds (OR=0.21; CI: 0.01, 0.30) of dental claims. Parental employment resulted in lower odds (OR=0.529; CI: 0.009, -69.74) of child’s dental claims. Furthermore, as PDV for the parents increased from zero to one visit, there was a decreased odds (OR=0.585; CI: 0.01, -39.13) of child’s dental claims.

Conclusion: The PDV for children and parents decreases odds of dental service claims indicating that PDV are valuable in reducing oral health burden.

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