Effect of a financial incentive on returning for post-operative care following general anesthesia

The aim of this study was to examine whether the use of a ten dollar financial incentive improved parental compliance in returning for their child's post-operative care appointment following dental treatment under general anesthesia at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program.

Parents/guardians of 69 children scheduled for dental treatment carried out under general anesthesia at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program from Oct 2007 to March 2008 were offered a $10 incentive if they returned for their one week post-operative care appointment. All subjects who returned received a $10 incentive by mail. A control consisting of 100 patients treated at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program from October 2006 to April 2007 was used to determine historical return rates for post-operative care after dental treatment under general anesthesia.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of the control group returned for their post-operative care appointment. Sixty-five percent (65%) of the incentive group returned for their post-operative care appointment.

Offering a $10 incentive did not increase the return rate for post-operative care following dental treatment under general anesthesia in a small study population.