Predicting Negative Outcomes While Awaiting Dental Treatment Under General Anesthesia

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Dental Public Health
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) provide essential dental care to underserved pediatric populations.
• Dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA) is often necessary for children with extensive caries or special needs.
• Understanding factors influencing treatment outcomes, such as wait times, is critical for improving care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the duration of dental treatment wait times for pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia (GA) at US FQHCs.
• To investigate the association between prolonged wait times and clinical outcomes in this population.
• To identify predictors of adverse clinical outcomes related to dental treatment delays.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 566 pediatric patients receiving dental rehabilitation under GA between July 2013 and June 2014.
• Statistical analyses including one-way ANOVA and linear regression to assess wait time impact.
• Examination of clinical outcomes such as preoperative visits, number of teeth treated, and postoperative complications.

Main Results:

• The average wait time between initial and treatment visits was 110.6 days (±103.9 days).
• Extended wait times significantly predicted a higher number of preoperative visits and more teeth treated than initially planned.
• Postoperative complications, including pain and restoration issues, were observed in 18.6% of patients with follow-up data.

Conclusions:

• Prolonged dental treatment wait times under GA are associated with negative clinical outcomes in pediatric patients.
• Longer delays correlate with increased pain, more extensive treatment needs, and higher healthcare utilization (pre- and post-operative visits).
• Optimizing appointment scheduling and reducing wait times are essential for improving the quality and efficiency of pediatric dental care at FQHCs.