Assessing Access to Pediatric Dental Services via Clinical Referrals

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Oral Health Research
• Dental Public Health

Background:

• Understanding patient demographics and referral patterns is crucial for optimizing pediatric dental care delivery.
• Medicaid insurance influences access to dental services for children.
• The role of external dental providers in pediatric care pathways requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize patients at a university pediatric dental clinic.
• To compare oral health treatment and status between referred and non-referred Medicaid patients.
• To identify differences based on referral status from outside dentists.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 200 patients per year from 2019-2021.
• Data extraction included demographics, referral status, preventive/restorative service history, and caries prevalence.
• Statistical analysis performed using SPSS for descriptive and inferential comparisons.

Main Results:

• Referred patients exhibited a higher prevalence of carious teeth.
• Referred patients were more likely to have received dental prophylaxis and fluoride varnish.
• No significant difference in sealant placement was observed between referred and non-referred groups.

Conclusions:

• Outside dentists frequently provide preventive dental services for pediatric patients.
• Referrals from external dentists often indicate a need for restorative dental care.
• This referral pattern highlights a collaborative approach in managing pediatric oral health.