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Public Valuations of Managing Compromised Molars: A Discrete Choice Experiment
G D Taylor1,2, D Boyers3, C Exley2
1School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Journal of Dental Research
|December 9, 2024
Summary
UK adults prefer patient involvement and less costly treatments for managing children's compromised first permanent molars (cFPM). Restoring cFPM is valued over gap closure or prosthetic replacement, with general dentists preferred over specialists.
Area of Science:
- Dental Public Health
- Health Economics
- Patient-Centered Care
Background:
- Limited evidence exists for optimal patient-centered management of compromised first permanent molars (cFPM) in children.
- Understanding public preferences is crucial for designing effective dental care pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elicit UK adult general population preferences for managing cFPM.
- To calculate willingness to pay (WTP) for different management strategies.
Main Methods:
- An online discrete choice experiment (DCE) involving 430 UK adults.
- Choice tasks included treatment type, provider, decision-making, future visits, and cost.
- Conditional logit models were used for data analysis.
Main Results:
- Restoring cFPM was valued equally to spontaneous or orthodontic gap closure.
- Partial gap, prosthetic replacement, or full unit gap were valued less than restoration.
- Patients preferred involvement in decision-making, general dentists, and avoidance of future dental work.
Conclusions:
- Dental service providers should incorporate patient preferences into service redesign for cFPM management.
- Marginal WTP estimates can inform the valuation of dental care services for cFPM.
