[Economic evaluation of treatments under dental general anesthesia and protective stabilization]

Objective: To conduct economic evaluation of treatments under dental general anesthesia (DGA) and protective stabilization (PS), in order to compare the cost and the final therapeutic effect of these two treatments. Methods: Retrospectively studied twenty-six 2 to 4 years old patients treated under DGA and twenty-seven treated under PS in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. The general information, treatment information and total treatment cost information of patients were collected. The cost and cost-survival time ratio of the two groups were compared in units of people and tooth respectively. When compared in unit of people, patients were divided into two groups depending on the number of teeth treated, when compared in unit of tooth, teeth were divided into two groups depending on the treatment received, i.e. restoration or root canal treatment. In addition, we recalculated and compared two groups under the assumption that the treatment charges of DGA was consistent with common outpatient charges. Results: The tooth average cost and cost-survival time ratio of each patient in DGA group which were [(1 133.87±87.37) yuan] and [3.51 (1.30, 5.72) yuan/d] respectively were significantly higher than those in PS group which were [(303.81±155.34) yuan] and [1.54 (0.95, 2.13) yuan/d] respectively (P<0.01). The number of teeth and the way of treatments wouldn't change the result. The recalculated result of the cost-survival time ratio of each patient in DGA group [1.63 (0.72, 2.55) yuan/d] and PS group [1.54 (0.95, 2.13) yuan/d] showed no significant difference (P=0.455). Conclusions: Patients treated in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology showed a significant higher cost and cost-survival time radio in DGA group than that in PS group. If the treatment charges of DGA group was consistent with common outpatient charges, PS group will no longer have economic advantage.