Cost-effectiveness simulation of a universal publicly funded sealants application program.

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Health Economics
• Preventive Dentistry

Background:

• No prior cost-effectiveness evaluations of pit and fissure sealants have been conducted in Quebec.
• Current dental care in Quebec relies on a publicly funded, school-based selective program for pit and fissure sealants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To simulate and compare the cost-effectiveness of different publicly funded pit and fissure sealant programs in Quebec.
• To evaluate hypothetical universal programs in public and private sectors against the existing selective program.

Main Methods:

• A Markov model was utilized to simulate a virtual population of 8-year-old children over a 10-year period.
• The study calculated the incremental cost per child who remained decay-free under various program scenarios.

Main Results:

• Both the current selective program and a universal publicly funded program in the public sector demonstrated greater cost-effectiveness than a universal program in private practice.
• The optimal cost-effectiveness was contingent upon the incidence of dental decay and the proportion of high-risk children identified.

Conclusions:

• Implementing a universal, school-based pit and fissure sealant program can enhance access to preventive dental care.
• This universal approach achieves cost-effectiveness comparable to the existing selective program.