Preventive Services by Medical and Dental Providers and Treatment Outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Nearly all state Medicaid programs reimburse nondental primary care providers (PCPs) for providing preventive oral health services to young children; yet, little is known about how treatment outcomes compare with children visiting dentists. This study compared the association between the provider of preventive services (PCP, dentist, or both) with Medicaid-enrolled children before their third birthday and subsequent dental caries-related treatment (CRT) and CRT payment.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of young children enrolled in North Carolina Medicaid during 2000 to 2006. The annual number of CRT and CRT payments per child between the ages of 3 and 5 yr were estimated with a zero-inflated negative binomial regression and a hurdle model, respectively.

SUBMITTER: Kranz AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4107553 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature