The most common types of nontraumatic dental conditions among emergency department visits in North Carolina before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the most common types of nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and assess the variations in the most common NTDCs by patient age groups and rural or urban locations and the impact of COVID-19 on emergency department (ED) visits for NTDCs in North Carolina. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective data analysis of ED data from the North Carolina Disease Event Tracking and Epidemiology Collection Tool. The authors estimated the proportions of NTDCs of all ED visits in 2019 and 2021 and ranked the proportions of the major categories of NTDCs by age groups and rural or urban locations. They used a multiple logistic regression model to assess the impact of COVID-19 on NTDCs. RESULTS: By the first diagnosis, the proportion of NTDCs dropped from 1.1% in 2019 to 0.99% in 2021 (P < .001). Caries was specified as the third most common NTDC. Oral infection was the top NTDC among young (≤ 17 years) and older patients (≥ 65 years). No significant differences were found in NTDCs between rural and urban areas (P = .68). Children younger than 2 years (adjusted odds ratio, 4.36) and adults aged 18 through 44 years (adjusted odds ratio, 4.54) were more likely to visit the ED for NTDCs than those 75 years and older. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of NTDCs seen at the ED was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 than in 2019. The common NTDCs varied by age group but were similar in rural and urban areas. The most common NTDCs were related to toothache, oral infection, and caries. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: More efforts are needed to reduce ED visits for NTDCs.

Geofencing: Mobile Technology as a Health Promotion Tool to Raise Awareness of a Dental Clinic in Rural North Carolina.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to assess the use of geofence technology to raise awareness of a dental clinic in rural North Carolina. METHODS: The catchment area of the dental clinic was defined by ZIP Codes. A geofence was identified, and cell phones within the perimeter were targeted for oral health message drops to occur over 3 months from April to June 2017. Surveys conducted twice, pre- and postintervention (message drop), evaluated change in community awareness of services available at the dental clinic. A cross-sectional analysis was used to measure the effect of the exposure to the geofence technology in survey respondents. FINDINGS: The survey included 200 participants (100 pre- and 100 postintervention). There were no significant differences in race or age for pre- and postintervention survey groups. The majority of respondents were American Indians (47.0% pre, 58.6% post) or black (28.8% pre, 25.5% post). There was a statistically significant improvement in awareness of the dental clinic (P = .045) from pre- to postintervention. A significant increase was also observed in the question related to dental visits by the respondent or family member of the respondent (from 6.5% to 15.0%, P = .04). A more modest improvement was found in questions related to the cost of dental care, type of insurance accepted, and services provided. CONCLUSION: Geofencing has the potential to increase awareness of health care services and ultimately increase the number of patients receiving care.