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Availability of public dental care service and dental caries increment in children: a cohort study
Author(s) -
Moraes Renita Baldo,
Menegazzo Gabriele Rissotto,
Knorst Jessica Klöckner,
Ardenghi Thiago Machado
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of public health dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1752-7325
pISSN - 0022-4006
DOI - 10.1111/jphd.12401
Subject(s) - poisson regression , medicine , attendance , cohort , socioeconomic status , dental care , dentistry , cohort study , public health , environmental health , nursing , population , pathology , economics , economic growth
Abstract Objective Evaluate the impact of the availability of public dental care service on the increment of dental caries in children. Methods This is a 2‐year cohort study that followed preschool children from southern Brazil. Dental caries was measured at baseline and follow‐up evaluation, considering the number of surfaces with untreated dental caries. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as the use and availability of dental services were assessed. Multilevel Poisson regression analysis through a hierarchical approach and considering a random effect for repeated measures was used to explore the influence of exploratory variables in the increase in the outcome. Results A total of 419 cases were evaluated at follow‐up (91.3% cohort retention rate). The increase in the untreated dental caries was associated with living in places where there is no regular presence of dentists in the public health system. In addition, the increment of dental caries was influenced by age, household income, and dental attendance. Conclusion The results suggest that the availability of dentists in the public health system have an impact the increment of dental caries among children. The integration of the dentist in the primary healthcare can contribute to decrease the barriers that lead to children's oral health.