Dental caries, visible plaque, and gingival bleeding in young adult Danes in alternative dental programs

From 16 to 19 years of age three groups of young adults received alternative dental programs on termination of the Public Child Dental Health Service (PCDHS) in different municipalities: public group, n = 386; mixed group, n = 161; and private group, n = 261. Dental caries status at the start of the study was assessed from the standard PCDHS records, and caries, plaque, and gingivitis were examined in an epidemiologic survey at the end. Caries experience at 16 years was 11.6 DMFS, highest in the mixed group and increased in all groups during the study. Initial placement in caries severity zones did not change. Visible plaque index (VPI) and gingival bleeding index (GBI) showed that plaque and gingival bleeding were present in most subjects, but rather few surfaces were affected. Association between gingival bleeding and non-use of dental services was found. Overall, it is concluded that none of the alternative programs differed from each other in having measurable effects on the oral health status.