A retrospective registry study comparing a portable school-based model and a standard clinic-based model

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Oral health examinations for primary school-age children in Finland are crucial for early detection and prevention of dental diseases.
• Two models of oral health examination exist: a school-based portable model and a clinic-based standard model.
• Socioeconomic factors can influence access to and outcomes of oral healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of a school-based portable oral health examination model versus a clinic-based standard model for primary school-age children in Finland.
• To identify differences in oral health outcomes, visit patterns, and recall intervals between the two models.
• To assess the role of organizational factors in oral healthcare delivery.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective registry study was conducted using electronic health records from 2020-2023.
• Data were collected from two socioeconomically comparable regions in Finland: Nokia (portable model, n=481) and Tampere (standard model, n=538).
• Analyzed variables included visit frequency, longest gap between visits, diagnoses, treatments, and recall intervals.

Main Results:

• The standard model showed significantly longer gaps between visits (median 25 vs. 11 months) and longer recall intervals (17 vs. 6 months).
• The standard model had a higher prevalence of caries (21.1% vs. 11.7%), restorative treatments (41.3% vs. 33.1%), and tooth extractions (35.5% vs. 22.4%).
• The portable model resulted in more children receiving dentist-only examinations (35% vs. 9.6%).

Conclusions:

• The school-based portable oral health model is more effective in ensuring timely dental care and better oral health outcomes for children.
• Organizational factors, rather than just geographical accessibility, play a critical role in the efficacy of oral healthcare systems.
• Implementing school-based portable models can lead to improved pediatric oral health surveillance and intervention in Finland.