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Other
David Flanders, DDS
Pediatric Dental Resident
Texas A & M University -—Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX
Dallas, Texas, United States
Carolyn Kerins, DDS, PhD
Texas A & M University - Baylor College of Dentistry
Alton McWhorter, DDS, MS
Texas A & M University - Baylor College of Dentistry
Dan Burch, DDS, PhD
Texas A & M University - Baylor College of Dentistry
Carolyn Kerins, DDS, PhD
Associate Professor & Grad Program Director
Texas A&M University School of Dentistry
Dallas, Texas, United States
Purpose: This study looked at dental allegations reported to the National Practitioners Data Bank (NPDB) involving young children (0-9yo) to assess distribution and trends regarding severity, payment amount, type, state, and year reported.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of reported dental allegations to the NPDB from 2013 to 2022 for 0- to 9-year-old children. The NPDB Public Use File was downloaded, and filters were applied for age, year, and profession. Counts were completed for allegations regarding severity, payment amount, type, state, and year and inputted into various charts and graphics. Pediatric population size (0-9yo) for each state was obtained from the 2020 US Census. Pediatric death counts for non-dental categories were obtained from the CDC from 2013 to 2021.
Results: Minor temporary injury was the most common allegation severity (58%). There were twenty death allegations involving young pediatric dental patients (60% anesthesia-related and 25% treatment-related). Total allegation payment amount ranged from $300 to just shy of $3 million (Mean = $57,749, Median = $22,500, Mode = $8,750). Unnecessary treatment is the most common at 39.1% and failure to complete necessary treatment accounts for 6.2%. Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida had the highest rate of total allegations with 8.7, 7.8, and 6.3 allegations per 1,000,000 children (0-9yo) per year, respectfully. Connecticut, Idaho, and Washington had the highest rate of permanent injury/death allegations with 3.7, 1.2, and 0.9 allegations per 1,000,000 children (0-9yo) per year, respectively. Allegations peaked in 2014 and 2016 with 186 and 207 allegations, respectfully, and have averaged 37.8 allegations per year since then.
Conclusions: Regarding pediatric (0-9yo) dentistry allegations: The vast majority are emotional, insignificant, or temporary in nature (82%). Most payments are below $50,000 (84%). The discrepancy between unnecessary treatment (39.1%) and failure to complete necessary treatment (6.2%) could indicate a generalized tendency to diagnose and treat more aggressive than conservatively. It is difficult to make direct state-to-state comparisons. There has been a dramatic reduction in the average number of allegations per year over the last decade.