Impact of fee increases on dental utilization rates for children living in Connecticut and enrolled in Medicaid.

BACKGROUND: In 2008, Connecticut's Medicaid program administration increased children's dental fees to match approximately the 70th percentile of what the market fees were for dental care in 2005. These Medicaid program changes occurred at the same time as a national economic recession, which took place from 2007 through 2009. METHODS: The authors obtained Medicaid eligibility, claims, and provider data before and after the fee increase, in 2006 and 2009 through 2012, respectively. Their analysis examined changes in utilization rates, service mix, expenditures, and dentists' participation. The authors qualitatively assessed the general impact of the recession on utilization rate changes. RESULTS: The Medicaid fee increase, program improvements, and the recession resulted in a dramatic increase in utilization rates. For children continuously enrolled in Medicaid, utilization rates increased from 45.9% in 2006 to 71.6% in 2012. Rates increased across sex, race, ethnicity, and geographic areas. These increased utilization rates eliminated the disparities in access to dental services between children with private insurance and children receiving Medicaid benefits. Children enrolled in Medicaid now have utilization rates that are similar to or higher than privately insured children. Expenditures increased $62 million; this represents less than 1% of 2012 State Medicaid expenditures. Dentist participation increased by 72%. These results suggest that dentists will participate in the Medicaid program if adequately compensated, and low-income families will seek dental services. CONCLUSION: The Medicaid fee increase, program improvements, and the recession had a dramatic impact on reducing disparities in children's access to dental care in Connecticut. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: One solution to the substantial disparities in access to dental care is to increase Medicaid fees to competitive levels.

Economic impact of dental hygienists on solo dental practices.

The fact that a significant percentage of dentists employ dental hygienists raises an important question: Are dental practices that utilize a dental hygienist structurally and operationally different from practices that do not? This article explores differences among dental practices that operate with and without dental hygienists. Using data from the American Dental Association's 2003 Survey of Dental Practice, a random sample survey of U.S. dentists, descriptive statistics were used to compare selected characteristics of solo general practitioners with and without dental hygienists. Multivariate regression analysis was used to estimate the effect of dental hygienists on the gross billings and net incomes of solo general practitioners. Differences in practice characteristics--such as hours spent in the practice and hours spent treating patients, wait time for a recall visit, number of operatories, square feet of office space, net income, and gross billings--were found between solo general practitioners who had dental hygienists and those who did not. Solo general practitioners with dental hygienists had higher gross billings. Higher gross billings would be expected, as would higher expenses. However, net incomes of those with dental hygienists were also higher. In contrast, the mean waiting time for a recall visit was higher among dentists who employed dental hygienists. Depending on personal preferences, availability of qualified personnel, etc., dentists who do not employ dental hygienists but have been contemplating that path may want to further research the benefits and opportunities that may be realized.

Private practice of prosthodontists: current conditions of practice in the United States.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to examine data and results from the 2008 Survey of Prosthodontists. Survey results are used to examine current trends and characteristics of prosthodontists in private practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Characteristics of prosthodontists and conditions of private practice are based on surveys conducted in 2002, 2005, and 2008 sponsored by the American College of Prosthodontists. Survey results are used to estimate several characteristics including age, gender, number of patient visits, hours in the practice, employment of staff, referral sources, and financial conditions (gross receipts, expenses of the practice, and net income of prosthodontists). RESULTS: The average age of a private-practicing prosthodontist reached 51 years in 2007; 12.3 is the number of years in the current practice; and most prosthodontists (71%) are solo private practitioners. The average amount of time per week by prosthodontists in the practice averaged 36.1 hours, and prosthodontists treated an average of 44.1 patient visits per week. The largest source of patient referrals is the patient themselves. The largest percentage of a prosthodontist's treatment time is spent rendering procedures in fixed prosthodontics, but this percentage has declined since 2001. In 2007, the average gross billings of a practicing prosthodontist reached $805,675; average total practice expenses were $518,255; the mean net earnings of practitioners were $268,930. CONCLUSION: In 2007, prosthodontists in private practice paid out about $1.4 billion in practice expenses to provide $2.2 billion dollars in prosthodontic care. Based on survey results from 2007 and the previous 6 years, specialization in prosthodontic care continues to be an economically attractive and productive healthcare profession in the United States.

Professional charges not reimbursed to dentists in the U.S.: evidence from Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 1996.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study examined professional charges not paid to dentists. METHODS: This analysis used logistic regression in SUDAAN examining the 1996 MEPS data from 12,931 adults. RESULTS: Among people incurring dental care charges, 13.6% had more than $50 of unpaid charge (UC). The percapita UC was $53.30. Total UC was higher for highest income group [45.4% of total] compared to lowest income group [26.0%]. The percapita UC of $76.70 for low income group was significantly greater than for high income group ($47.80, P < 0.01). More Medicaid recipients (52% vs. non-recipients: 12%) incurred at least $50 in UC (P < 0.01). Adjusted odds of incurring UC were greater for those employed (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.7), and for those with private insurance (OR: 1.5, CI: 1.3-1.9). Number of dental procedure types modified the association between Medicaid recipient and UC (OR = 13.6 for Medicaid recipients undergoing multiple procedure types; OR: 2.3 for Medicaid non-recipients with multiple procedure types; OR: 1.9 for Medicaid recipients receiving single dental procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Having private insurance, being unemployed and being Medicaid insured undergoing multiple procedure were strongest predictors of UC.

Cost-benefit analysis of a worksite oral-health promotion program.

This study was conducted to examine whether oral-health promotion programs provided as an occupational health service for employees were cost-beneficial for employers. The subjects were composed of 357 male workers (20-59 yr of age) who participated in oral-health promotion programs conducted at their workplaces between 1992 and 1997. The design of this study was a quasi-experimental study design in which the three programs (light: 1 visit; medium: 2-4 visits; and heavy: 5-6 visits) were compared through cost-benefit analysis conducted from the viewpoint of the employers. The programs consisted of oral-health checkups by dentists and oral-health education, including that on the proper brushing method, by dental hygienists. The costs of the program included direct costs for the payment of oral-health-care staff and for teaching materials, and indirect costs for the time for employee participation in the program (20 min/employee per visit). The accumulated dental expenses for the seven years were used to calculate benefits, which were determined, based on the differences between 0 visits and each program. The benefit/cost ratios of the three programs were -2.45, 1.46, and 0.73, respectively. These results suggest that a worksite oral-health promotion program of medium frequency is cost-beneficial for employers.

Análisis de los criterios establecidos por el cirujano dentista ante la fijación de honorarios y la forma de pago / Analysis of the criteria established by the dental surgeon for the application of fees and payment modalities

Toda actividad humana que se convierte en utilidad se debe pagar de alguna manera. Se denominan honorarios la forma de remuneración a aquellos que ejercen una profesión liberal, es decir, que poseen un acopio técnico-científico y cultural propio. En la odontología es muy difícil el estandarizarse honorarios, puesto que, principalmente en el ejercicio privado, es grande el número de las variables del profesional, del paciente, de la comunidad y del caso en sí mismo que condicionan los costes. El código de ética odontológica no conceptúa honorarios, sólo establece criterios, sin obligar, autorizar o prohibir al profesional que estipule honorarios. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue verificar junto a los cirujanos-dentistas de las ciudades de Jales y Santa Fé do Sul, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, cómo se hacen los análisis de los criterios establecidos por el cirujano-dentista ante a la fijación de honorarios y a la forma de pago. Se ha aplicado un cuestionario conteniendo preguntas abiertas y cerradas a 100 cirujanos-dentistas registrados en el Consejo Regional de Odontología. Evaluándose los resultados, observamos que la mayoría, o sea, el 46,5 por ciento de los entrevistados afirmó que recibe sus honorarios en cheque y se lleva en cuenta la complejidad del caso para establecerlos (25,6 por ciento); el 54,6 por ciento fija sus honorarios basados en alguna tabla; el 19,8 por ciento no considera justo lo que recibe y el 60,5 por ciento ya ha tenido problemas con incumplimiento. A través de los resultados se puede verificar que gran parte de los cirujanos-dentistas sienten dificultades en establecer sus honorarios y además se encuentran insatisfechos con lo que reciben.

Every human service that is transformed into utility must be paid by certain way. It is known as honorarium the remuneration paid to those who exert a liberal profession, that is, those that have a technical-scientific and cultural heap of their own. In dentistry, it is very difficult to standardize the honorarium due to the great amount of professional variables, derived from patients, from the community and from the individuality of each clinical case, which condition the costs. According to dental ethics code, honorarium is not conceptualized, but criteria are established without obliging, authorizing or prohibiting the professional to estimate the honorarium. The aim of this study was to verify the criteria applied by dental surgeons from Jales and Santa Fe do Sul - SP, to establish their honorarium, as well as the way of payment. A questionnaire containing dissertative and multiple - choice tests was applied to 100 members of the Regional Dentistry Council of this cities. The results indicated most of the subjects, that is, 46,5% received their honorarium by checks and the values were established according to the complexity of clinical case ( 25,6% ); 54,6% determined their honorarium based upon some tables, for 19,8% of the subjects, their honorarium was not considered to be fair and 60% had problems with debtor patients. Through these result one can conclude most of the dentists felt difficulty in establishing their honorarium and considered that their remuneration was not fair.

Toda atividade humana que se transforma em utilidade deve ser paga de alguma forma. Denominam-se honorários a forma de remuneração àqueles que exercem uma profissão liberal, isto é, que possuem um acervo técnico-científico e cultural próprio. Em odontologia é muito difícil se padronizar honorários, pois, principalmente entre autônomos, é grande o número de variáveis do profissional, do paciente, da comunidade e do caso em si que condicionam os custos. O Código de ética odontológico não conceitua honorários, apenas estabelece critérios, sem obrigar, autorizar ou proibir o profissional de estipular honorários. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi verificar, junto aos cirurgiões-dentistas das cidades de Jales e Santa Fé do Sul - SP, como são feitas as análises dos critérios estabelecidos pelo cirurgião-dentista frente à fixação de honorários e ao tipo de pagamento. Foi aplicado um questionário contendo questões abertas e fechadas à 100 cirurgiões-dentistas cadastrados no CRO dessas regiões. Analisando-se os resultados observamos que a maioria, ou seja, 46,5% dos entrevistados afirmaram receber seus honorários em cheque e levam em consideração a complexidade do caso para estabelecê-los (25,6%); 54,6% fixa seus honorários baseados em alguma tabela; 19,8% não acha justo o que recebem e 60,5% já tiveram problemas com inadimplência. A partir dos resultados pode-se verificar que grande parte dos cirurgiões-dentistas sentem dificuldades de estabelecer seus honorários além de estarem insatisfeitos com o que recebem.

ADEA survey of clinic fees and revenue: 2003-04 academic year.

The American Dental Education Association's 2003-04 Survey of Clinic Fees and Revenue obtained data by which to report, by school, clinic revenue information per student. Fifty-one of the fifty-four dental schools that had third- and fourth-year students responded to the survey. The median revenue per third-year student was dollar 9,937. It was dollar 13,602 for fourth-year students. Clinic revenue was also obtained for programs of advanced dental education. General Practice Residency programs generated the highest revenue per student at dollar 66,474, followed by programs of Advanced Education in General Dentistry at dollar 63,860. Other areas of the survey provided information regarding clinic fees by type of program, levels of uncompensated care by type of program, clinic revenue by source of payment, and dental school fees as a percent of usual and customary private practice fees.

Tooth loss, the wearing of dentures and associated factors in Sri Lankan older individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine tooth loss, wearing of dentures and associated factors in older individuals from Sri Lanka. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey where the data were collected by means of an oral examination and an interviewer administered questionnaire. SETTING: Negambo within the Gampaha district of Sri Lanka. SUBJECTS: A total of 630 subjects who were aged 60 years and above. RESULTS: Only 11 subjects had all 32 teeth and 17% were edentulous. Age, gender and level of income were significantly associated with the number of missing teeth. Of those with missing teeth, 22% wore dentures. Only 16% of the non-denture wearers perceived a need for dentures. Among the non-denture wearers who perceived a need for dentures, a majority had cited 'cost' as the main barrier for obtaining dentures. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, gender, levels of income and education and missing teeth were significant predictors of wearing of dentures. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of factors that influence tooth loss and wearing of dentures may have implications for oral health care planners in the provision and delivery of oral health services to the older individuals.

The impact of concentration in dental insurance markets on dental reimbursement in Minnesota.

The following article has been prepared by the American Dental Association (ADA) at the request of the Minnesota Dental Association (MDA). The article is the culmination of a rigorous national study by the ADA to measure the concentration of dental insurance in major dental marketplaces around the country. Five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA's)from Minnesota were compared to other MSA's around the country. The results of this study are very significant for dentists and dental patients in Minnesota. Minnesota' practicing dental community may find the results of the study to be somewhat disturbing. Nevertheless, the MDA believes that it is important to share the results of this study with MDA members and others in the Minnesota dental community. It is important to consider both the study's short-term ramifications, as well as its long-term implications, as we attempt to better understand Minnesota's dental marketplace. It is also important for MDA members to know that the ADA brought the results of this study as they relate to the Minnesota Dental Marketplace to the appropriate federal agencies. The ADA believed that these agencies might choose to develop it into an anti-trust case. After reviewing the matter and working with the ADA over a long period of time, these agencies decided that they would not proceed with a Minnesota-based anti-trust case; additional information beyond what the ADA was legally able to provide was needed by the federal agencies in order for them to proceed. The MDA will continue to analyze and respond to these dental marketplace developments.

Orthodontic practices in Australasia: practice activity.

OBJECTIVE: To collect baseline data on practice types and services provided by orthodontists in Australia and New Zealand. METHOD: A total of 510 questionnaires was sent and 258 were returned. The response rate was 53 per cent. RESULTS: The average age of respondents was 50 years (SD: 9.8 years) with female orthodontists being younger (Mean: 42.3 years; SD: 6.5). The ratio of responding female to male orthodontists was 1:8.8. Overall, more orthodontists were in solo private practice than associateships or partnerships. New Zealand orthodontists were more likely to be in associateships. Australian orthodontists had twice the number of practices (Mean: 2.4; SD: 1.4) than their New Zealand counterparts (Mean: 1.1; SD: 0.3). Orthodontists estimated they saw a mean of 21.3 (SD: 11.3) patients per day. Older orthodontists saw few patients in a day and spent fewer hours in any practice activity in a week. The mean waiting time for a consultation appointment in the private sector in New Zealand was nearly twice that in Australia. There was a significant association between male orthodontists and referral of patients by general dental practitioners. More than three quarters of respondents incorporated retention fees into the treatment fee. Overall, orthodontists were satisfied with the workload and did not want more orthodontists in their geographical area. CONCLUSION: This study provides a sound basis for consideration of challenges in practice and changes over time.

Pediatric dentists' participation in the California Medicaid program.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine pediatric dentists' participation in the California Medicaid program and investigate barriers to participation. METHODS: A 24-question mail-in survey with a follow-up was sent to all pediatric dentists in California with questions including demographics, Medicaid participation, and barriers to participation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, bivariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Pediatric dentists returned 364 useable mail-in surveys for a response rate of 70%. Forty-five percent participated in the Medicaid program, one third of which would accept all patients and two thirds of which placed some restriction on their participation. Twenty-five percent of respondents had at least 10% Medicaid patients in their practice, and 25% accepted 6 or more new Medicaid patients per month. Dentists in rural areas were significantly more likely than those in urban or suburban areas to accept a new Medicaid patient (P < .05). Eighty-nine percent of all respondents reported low fees and 82% reported broken appointments as important reasons for not participating or limiting participation. CONCLUSIONS: Participation of California pediatric dentists in Medicaid is low compared to other states that have participation studies. Pediatric dentists in rural areas are most likely to participate. Among the reasons that contribute to California dentists not participating in the Medicaid program, the major ones appear to be low fees, broken appointments, and denial of payment.

Distribution of orthodontic services and fees in an insured population in Washington.

Previous attempts to quantify the amount and type of orthodontic therapy provided by nonorthodontists in the United States have relied on survey data. Although there are advantages to surveys, such as control over survey recipients and inclusion of specific questions, they also have limitations, such as low response rates, response bias, and recall bias. This study used insurance claims data from a large dental benefits provider in Washington to assess the distribution of orthodontic services and fees among various dental providers. All orthodontic claims allowed by Washington Dental Service in 2001 were retrieved, along with treatment codes, fees, and demographic information for both patients and providers. A total of 102,984 orthodontic claims were included in the study. General dentists submitted 7.0% of these claims, orthodontists submitted 90.9%, and pedodontists submitted 1.9%. Orthodontists submitted higher average fees for space maintainers, first payments, and records. The percentage of orthodontic treatment preformed by general dentists and pedodontists in this claims-based study was substantially less than what has been previously reported in survey-based studies. Additionally, a smaller percentage of general dentists and pedodontists in this study performed comprehensive treatment, compared with previous studies. This study illustrates the value of insurance claims data to assess the provision of orthodontic care.

Charges for oral health care during a period of economic growth in the US: 1987-96.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to provide estimates of amounts charged for dental care during 1996 for the US adult population and its major sociodemographic subgroups, and to evaluate whether charges had increased since 1987. METHODS: We used data from the 1996 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey and report results for 12,931 adults aged 19-64 years. For comparison with previously published charges, we converted 1987 charges to their 1996 "constant dollar" value to control for inflation. Data were analyzed using SUDAAN and the results can be generalized to the US adult population. RESULTS: In 1996, 43.7 percent (95% CI=42.7%, 44.6%) of the US population incurred dental care charges, which did not differ significantly from the 1987 estimate of 44.5 percent. In 1996, mean per capita charge for dental care was 182 dollars (95% CI=171 dollars, 192 dollars), which did not differ significantly from the inflation-adjusted 1987 estimate of 174 dollars. The average charge per patient who incurred charges in 1996 was 416 dollars (95% CI=394 dollars, 438 dollars), which was only 7 percent greater than the inflation-adjusted 1987 estimate of 389 dollars (P=.08). Sociodemographic variations were observed in per capita charges, but were less apparent in mean charge per patient who incurred charges. CONCLUSIONS: During a period when economic growth and other market forces were expected to increase delivery of dental services, there was little or no change in percentage of US adults incurring charges or in mean per capita charges. The booming US economy did not raise dental charges significantly and did not increase utilization of dental care services.

Factors influencing choice of dental treatment by private general practitioners.

Service rate variations have focused attention on treatment decisions. The aims of this study were to examine factors considered in choosing treatments, to classify dentists in terms of clinical decision making, and to investigate the association of decision making with services provided. From a random sample of dentists (response rate 60.3%) treatment constraints (15.0%), periodontal status (12.1%), tooth status (11.3%), mouth status (10.1%), and patient factors (9.8%) were considered important factors across six alternative treatment pair choice scenarios. Cluster analysis of the treatment choice scenarios produced one cluster that reflected patient preferences, another that reflected treatment constraints such as cost, and a third that reflected oral health factors. Compared with the oral health cluster, dentists in the constraints cluster had higher rates (p < .05) of extractions (rate ratio [RR] = 1.49), bridge work (RR = 1.77), and dentures (RR = 1.32), whereas dentists in the patient cluster had higher restoration rates for two-surface ionomers (RR = 2.45) and resins on three or more surfaces (RR = 1.50) and other preventive services (RR = 1.78) such as oral hygiene instruction. Although a range of factors influenced treatment choice, a limited set accounted for the majority of responses, with cost a major determinant, ahead of oral health status and patient preference. Decision-making style was associated with service provision.

Trends in treatment performed in the Phelophepa Dental Clinic: 1995-2000.

Mobile clinics are a cost-effective method of meeting the dental needs of rural communities in South Africa. Phelophepa, the first primary health care train of its kind world-wide, provides eye care, education, medicine, basic health care and since June 1995 dental treatment to rural communities. All services are rendered by students under supervision of qualified staff. The aim of this study was to analyse and report the data for treatment performed in the dental clinic from June 1995 to May 2000. During its first five years of operation, dental services were provided at 183 towns in all provinces except Gauteng. Of the 42,073 patients treated during this time (an average of 229.9 per town), 67.4% were adults. 71.3% of the 103,283 procedures performed were extractions, 15.7% could be classified as preventive with the remaining 13% as restorative procedures. The average value of the service provided to each patient was R218.53. The exposure of dental, dental therapy and oral hygiene students to rural areas of South Africa serves the important purpose of sensitising students to the realities of oral diseases in these communities.

Competition and dental services.

Dental services for adults are different from all other Norwegian health services in that they are provided by private producers (dentists) who have full freedom to establish a practice. They have had this freedom since the end of World War II. A further liberalization of the market for dental services occurred in November 1995, when the so-called normal tariff was repealed. The system changed from a fixed fee system to a deregulated fee system. In principle, the market for dental services for adults operates as a free competitive market, in which dentists must compete for a market share. The aim of this study was to study the short-term effects of competition. A comprehensive set of data on fees, practice characteristics, treatment profiles and factors that dentists take into account when determining fees was analysed. The main finding was that competition has a weak effect. No support was found for the theory that the level of fees is the result of monopolistic competition or monopoly. The results also provided some evidence against the inducement hypothesis. At this stage, it is interesting to notice that dentists do not seem to exploit the power they have to control the market. One explanation, which is consistent with the more recent literature, is that physicians' behaviour to a large extent is influenced by professional norms and caring concerns about their patients. Financial incentives are important, but these incentives are constrained by norms other than self-interest. The interpretation of the results should also take into account that the deregulation has operated for a short time and that dentists and patients may not yet have adjusted to changes in the characteristics of the market.