Risk-based caries prevention may be more effective in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Dental Public Health
• Health Economics

Background:

• Dental caries remains a significant public health issue in children.
• Effective and cost-efficient prevention strategies are crucial for managing childhood caries.
• Existing caries prevention methods require evaluation for their economic impact and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the cost-effectiveness of non-operative caries treatment and prevention (NOCTP) with increased professional fluoride application (IPFA) and standard dental care.
• To evaluate the overall effectiveness in terms of prevented decayed, missing, or filled surfaces (DMFS).

Main Methods:

• A three-year randomized controlled trial involving six-year-old children.
• Interventions included standard care, IPFA (additional fluoride applications), and NOCTP (individualized recall intervals).
• Data collected on time, resource use, costs, and effectiveness (DMFS).

Main Results:

• NOCTP was more effective and more costly than regular dental care.
• Increased professional fluoride applications showed a slight reduction in caries increment but were more costly than NOCTP.
• Dropout rates varied: 32% in NOCTP, 20% in IPFA, and 15% in the control group.

Conclusions:

• NOCTP appears to be a cost-effective strategy, with benefits outweighing additional costs.
• Implementing NOCTP on a larger scale should be considered for improved pediatric dental health outcomes.
• NOCTP demonstrates superior cost-effectiveness compared to increased professional fluoride applications.