Comparison of Contributing Risk Factors for Primary Tooth Caries in Down Syndrome and Non-Special Health Needs Children.

Purpose: To evaluate decayed, missing, and filled surfaces in primary teeth (dmfs) in Down syndrome subjects (DS) compared to typically developed (TD) controls using analysis. Methods: A retrospective study of 440 matched subjects (220 DS and 220 TD) was conducted. Categorical variables were evaluated for association with dental caries, with mean dmfs as the main outcome measure. Pearson's chi-square and independent sample t-tests for unequal variances for means were employed. Results: Overall, the TD control group was found to have significantly higher mean dmfs scores than the DS group: TD Equals 17.65 (mean dmfs), 95% confidence interval (CI) equals 15.48 to 19.90; DS equals 10.30 (mean dmfs), at 95% CI equals 7.96 to 12.78, (P<0.001). However, when controlled for the variable factors African American status (P=0.11), Hispanic status (P=0.07) and income level at or below 200 percent of poverty level (P=0.24) there was no significant difference in mean dmfs. Conclusions: In the study population DS and TD exhibited dissimilar dmfs scores, while when taking into consideration social and economic factors dmfs was equivalent. Caries risk factors modulate disease experience and should be considered in all population-specific studies. Patients with multiple high-risk factors should be treated as such, regardless of DS status.

Accuracy of parent-reported health history in a dental setting.

BACKGROUND: Obtaining thorough documentation of a patient's medical history is important for dental care professionals, as oral health is connected intricately to systemic health. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of parent-reported health history for pediatric patients in a dental setting. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 863 patients 17 years and younger. Parent-reported health history was compared with subsequent physician-to-dentist consultations. The most common diagnoses were grouped on the basis of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, categories. RESULTS: The sensitivity of parent report of health conditions was highest for reporting mental and behavioral disorders (75.1%; 95% CI, 69.6% to 80.0%), followed by nervous system diseases (63.0%; 95% CI, 47.5% to 76.8%), respiratory conditions (47.9%; 95% CI, 37.6% to 58.4%), congenital conditions (46.3%; 95% CI, 30.7% to 62.6%), and cardiovascular conditions (25.0%; 95% CI, 11.4% to 43.4%) and was lowest for hematologic conditions (12.2%; 95% CI, 4.1% to 26.2%). Parents of children 6 years and older and those with private insurance had higher sensitivity for reporting mental and behavioral conditions than those with children younger than 6 years or having Medicaid (P < .0001). The specificity of parent-reported health conditions ranged from 96.0% for mental and behavioral disorders to 99.8% for hematologic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitivity varied widely, showing that parents may be unreliable in their report of children's health histories and that dentists cannot rely solely on parents when obtaining health history. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: In advocating for patient safety, especially for those with special needs and complex medical conditions, this study supports the use of medical evaluation before dental treatment and for the integration of dental and electronic health records.

Chilling Effects on Immigrants' Health Insurance Coverage After the 2016 Presidential Election.

BACKGROUND: Depressed enrollment in public benefits among immigrants and their families may occur due to concerns about deportation and obstacles to permanent residency status related to immigration policies. METHODS: Using data from the American Community Survey (ACS) from 2014 to 2019, we conducted an interrupted time series analysis to estimate Medicaid enrollment, private insurance enrollment, and uninsured rates among low-income non-citizen adults and their children, compared to U.S. citizens before and after the Trump administration entered office in January 2017. RESULTS: Compared to U.S. citizen adults, Medicaid enrollment among non-citizen adults decreased and the uninsured rate increased (1.5 percentage points per year, p < 0.05) from 2017 to 2019. Decreases in coverage starting in 2017 were larger among both children with at least one non-citizen parent and non-citizen children. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that the Trump administration immigration policy climate is associated with decreased health insurance enrollment among this population.

The patient protection and affordable care act: effects on dental care.

Health care reform has been a subject of debate long before the presidential campaign of 2008, through the presidential signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on March 23, 2010, and is likely to continue as a topic of discussion well into the future. The effects of this historic reform on the delivery of healthcare and on the economy are subject to speculation. While most people are at least generally aware that access to medical care will be improved in many ways, few people, including many in the dental profession, are aware that this legislation also addresses oral health disparities and access to dental care. It is the purpose of this paper to review how dental care is currently accessed in the United States and where oral health care disparities exist, to suggest approaches to alleviating these disparities and to delineate how the changes in dental policies found in the PPACA hope to address these concerns. The main arguments of organized dentistry, both those in support of and in opposition to the PPACA, are summarized.