Age of first dental visits: A benefit of the pediatric medical home.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective cohort study compared differences in age one dental visit use and age at first dental visit according to fluoride varnish receipt at the pediatric medical home. METHODS: Enrollment and claims data were used from Partners For Kids, a pediatric accountable care organization covering Medicaid-enrolled children living in 47 of 88 counties in Ohio. The main outcomes were having an age one dental visit and the mean age at first dental visit. Descriptive statistics and bivariate comparisons were applied. RESULTS: Among 17,675 children, 2.8% had an age one dental visit. The mean age at first dental visit was 4.8 years. Children who received fluoride varnish from their medical home (12% of study population) were significantly younger at their first dental visit (4.1 vs. 4.9 years, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Despite longstanding recommendations for the age one dental visit, very few Medicaid-enrolled children in Ohio had one. The pediatric medical home lowered the age of first dental visit.