Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2026
06:28
E-Patient Counseling Trial (E-PACO): Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Preventive service utilisation as a predictor for emergency dental examinations
L J Powers1, J R Grana, N D Keen
1Quality Algorithms, Blue Bell, PA 19422, USA.
Community Dental Health
|October 20, 2000
Summary
Regular dental check-ups significantly reduce the need for emergency dental care. Preventive dental services, like oral examinations, are key to avoiding costly and urgent treatments.
Area of Science:
- Dental Health
- Preventive Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Emergency dental services are frequently utilized for non-trauma related issues.
- The relationship between routine preventive dental care and emergency service utilization requires further quantification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the association between receiving routine dental care and the subsequent use of non-trauma related emergency dental services.
- To quantify the impact of preventive dental examinations and cleanings on emergency dental care needs.
Main Methods:
- A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed using administrative dental claim and encounter data.
- Data from 2,947 insured members of a Texas-based dental health maintenance organization (HMO) from 1995-1996 were analyzed.
- Predictors included previous year's oral examinations, radiographs, and dental cleanings, controlling for member age.
Main Results:
- Individuals utilizing preventive dental services were significantly less likely to use non-trauma related emergency dental services (P<0.01).
- Those with a dental examination in 1995 had a 42.7% lower probability of needing non-trauma related emergency dental services in 1996.
- While dental cleanings showed a significant association in simple regression, this did not hold in the controlled model, likely due to multicollinearity.
Conclusions:
- This study provides empirical evidence supporting the value of periodic preventive dental examinations and services.
- Routine preventive dental care is associated with a reduced likelihood of utilizing non-trauma related emergency dental services.
- Promoting regular dental check-ups can potentially decrease the demand for emergency dental care.
Related Concept Videos
01:08The Availability Heuristic
A heuristic is a general problem-solving framework (Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). You can think of these as mental shortcuts that are used to solve problems. Different types of heuristics are used in different types of situations, and the impulse to use a heuristic occurs when one of five conditions is met (Pratkanis, 1989):
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services
Preventive healthcare services keep people healthy via frequent check-ups, screening, and counseling. They primarily aid in disease prevention rather than treating an acute or chronic illness. Preventive treatment also keeps individuals productive and energetic, allowing them to work well into their retirement years. Examples of preventive care services include:
01:15Teeth
The formation of teeth, also known as odontogenesis, is a complex process that begins in utero, around the sixth week of embryonic development. There are three stages to this process: the bud stage, the cap stage, and the bell stage.
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The human tooth enables us to eat a variety of foods, speak clearly, and even aid in shaping our faces. Teeth are composed of various elements that work together. Here's a detailed look at the anatomy of a human tooth.
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
01:13Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predicted Value
In healthcare diagnostics, laboratory tests play a crucial role in identifying and diagnosing a wide range of medical conditions. However, interpreting test results is not always straightforward. An abnormal test result does not always confirm the presence of a disease, just as a normal result does not guarantee its absence. To assess the reliability of these diagnostic tools, healthcare practitioners rely on two key statistical indicators: sensitivity and specificity.
Sensitivity is the...
Sensitivity is the...