Australian nursing students' perception, knowledge, and attitude towards oral healthcare of older people and associated factors: a national cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The oral health of many older Australians is poor and associated with many systemic health problems. However, nurses often have a limited understanding of the importance of oral healthcare for older people. This study aimed to investigate Australian nursing students' perception, knowledge, and attitude toward providing oral healthcare for older people and associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among final year nursing students studying at accredited nursing programs using an online self-reported 49-item survey. The data were analysed using univariate and bivariate analysis (t-test, ANOVA, Spearman's correlation test). RESULTS: A total of 416 final-year nursing students from 16 accredited programs in Australia completed the survey. Mean scores showed that more than half of the participants felt they lacked confidence (55%, n = 229) and had limited knowledge about oral healthcare for older people (73%, n = 304); however, their attitude towards providing such care was favourable (89%, n = 369). A positive correlation was found between students' confidence in delivering oral healthcare to older people and their perceived knowledge (r = 0.13, p < 0.01). Results revealed a statistically significant positive association between students' experience in providing oral healthcare to older people and students' perception (t = 4.52, p < 0.001), knowledge (t = 2.87, p < 0.01), and attitude (t = 2.65, p < 0.01) mean scores in such care. Nearly 60% (n = 242) of participants received education/training in oral healthcare for older people at university, but this was often for less than one hour. Around 56% (n = 233) believed that the current nursing curriculum did not prepare them to provide effective oral healthcare to older people. CONCLUSION: Findings suggested a need for nursing curricula to be revised to include oral health education and clinical experience. Knowledge of evidence-based oral healthcare by nursing students may improve the quality of oral healthcare for older people.

Association between obesity and periodontitis in Australian adults: A single mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and periodontitis are conditions with high burden and cost. This study aims to unfold the proposed pathways through which the effect of obesity in the presence of health behaviors (dental visiting behavior and diabetes) increases the risk of periodontitis? METHODS: The effect decomposition analysis using potential outcome approach was used to determine obesity-related periodontitis risk using the Australian National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004 to 2006. A single mediation analysis for exposure, "physical-inactivity induced obesity," mediator "dental visiting behavior (a de facto measure of healthy behaviors)," outcome "periodontitis," and confounders "age, sex, household income, level of education, self-reported diabetes, alcohol-intake and smoking," was constructed for subset of 3,715 participants, aged ≥30 years. Proposed pathways were set independently for each risk factor and in synergy. The STATA 15 Paramed library was used for analysis. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to detect unmeasured confounding using non-parametric approach. RESULTS: The average treatment effect of physical inactivity induced obesity to periodontitis is 14%. Pathway effect analysis using potential outcomes illustrated that the effect of obesity on periodontitis that was not mediated through poor dental visiting behavior was 10%. Indirect effect of obesity-mediated through poor dental visiting behavior on periodontitis was 3%. CONCLUSIONS: The direct effect of physical inactivity induced obesity on periodontitis was higher than the indirect effect of obesity on periodontitis through dental visiting behavior. Establishing a pathway of causal relationship for obesity and periodontitis could help in developing management strategies that focuses on mediators.

Non-surgical periodontal therapy effectively improves patient-reported outcomes: A systematic review.

AIM: Modern lifespan oral health research focuses on understanding the impact of periodontitis (or therapy) on clinical and patient-based outcome measures to provide effective care, improve patient safety according to the quality standards. For better targeted intervention and effective disease management, this systematically review aimed to investigate the relationship between non-surgical periodontal therapy and patient-based outcomes using OHIP-14. METHODS: Seven Databases were searched for studies on patient-based outcomes responses to periodontal treatment. The time-period defined from search was from January 1977 to January 2019. Two independent reviewers carried out data search, selection of studies, data extraction and quality assessment using Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Prospective cohort studies, intervention studies and observational studies written in English demonstrating non-surgical periodontal therapy response on the patient-reported outcomes (using Oral Health Impact Profile 14) were included in the review. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included in the review, which comprised of three randomised control trials, nine case series, and one was a quasi-experimental study. Eleven out of the 13 studies reported significant improvement in OHIP-14 scores amongst participants who had undergone non-surgical periodontal therapy. Physical disability, psychological discomfort and functional limitation were domains that improved significantly after non-surgical periodontal therapy in these studies. Physical pain was a common finding in short-term follow-up but improved significantly in long-term follow-up studies. CONCLUSION: Based on clinical and patient-based outcomes measurement, it is recommended that non-surgical periodontal therapy is a "gold standard" approach towards improving patient-based outcomes, reducing co-morbidities and enhancing patient safely immediately and in long term.

The impact of different determinants on the dental caries experience of children living in Australia rural and urban areas.

AIMS: Evidence suggests there are geographical variations in child oral health and this has prompted research into determinants of that variation. This study aimed to investigate factors attributable to the difference in child oral health between urban and rural areas in Australia. METHOD: Data were from the National Child Oral Health Study 2012-14, a population-based study of 5- to 14-year-old children, who underwent oral epidemiological examinations by trained examiners. Caries prevalence (dmfs/DMFS > 0) and experience (dmfs/DMFS count) in the primary dentition (5- to 8-year-old) and permanent dentition (9- to 14-year-old) were calculated. Children were grouped by residential location (urban or rural areas). A parental questionnaire collected information on family socio-economic factors, and individual health behaviours (dental access, sugar consumption and toothbrushing). Residential history was used to calculate lifetime exposure to water fluoridation (WF). Analyses were weighted to produce population-representative estimates. The primary outcomes were assessed separately for the two groups in regression models with robust standard error estimation to estimate prevalence ratios and mean ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Population Attributable Fractions were calculated using the population distribution of the exposures and their adjusted estimates. RESULTS: 10 581 5- to 8-year-old and 14 041 9- to 14-year-old children were included. Caries prevalence was higher in rural than in urban areas. In multivariable models, exposure to fluoridation, reason for dental visit and consumption of sugary beverages were consistently associated with caries prevalence and experience. WF coverage attributed to differences in caries prevalence (10% vs 21%) and experience (14% vs 35%) in the permanent dentition. High consumption of sugary beverages attributed to a higher primary and permanent dental caries experience in rural than in urban areas. Dental access was also attributed to the differences between the two areas. CONCLUSION: Factors at both community and individual levels attributed to the observed differences in child caries prevalence and experience between urban and rural areas.

Incorporating oral health care education in undergraduate nursing curricula - a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The recognised relationship between oral health and general health, the rapidly increasing older population worldwide, and changes in the type of oral health care older people require have raised concerns for policymakers and health professionals. Nurses play a leading role in holistic and interprofessional care that supports health and ageing. It is essential to understand their preparation for providing oral health care.Objective: To synthesise the evidence on nursing students' attitudes towards, and knowledge of, oral healthcare, with a view to determining whether oral health education should be incorporated in nursing education. METHODS: Data sources: Three electronic databases - PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL.Study eligibility criteria, participants and interventions: Original studies addressing the research objective, written in English, published between 2008 and 2019, including students and educators in undergraduate nursing programs as participants, and conducted in Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development countries.Study appraisal and synthesis methods: Data extracted from identified studies were thematically analysed, and quality assessment was done using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. RESULTS: From a pool of 567 articles, 11 met the eligibility criteria. Findings documented five important themes: 1.) nursing students' limited oral health knowledge; 2.) their varying attitudes towards providing oral health care; 3.) the need for further oral health education in nursing curricula; 4.) available learning resources to promote oral health; and 5.) the value of an interprofessional education approach to promote oral health care in nursing programs.Limitations: The identified studies recruited small samples, used self-report questionnaires and were conducted primarily in the United States. CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of an interprofessional education approach with a focus on providing effective oral health care, particularly for older people, needs to be integrated into regular nursing education, and practice. This may increase the interest and skills of nursing students in providing oral health care. However, more rigorous studies are required to confirm this. Nursing graduates skilled in providing oral health care and interprofessional practice have the potential to improve the oral and general health of older people.

Obesity and periodontitis in Australian adults: A population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Obesity and periodontitis are public health issues in Australia. This study aimed to determine the association between overweight/obesity and periodontitis in Australian adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-2006 data were analysed. Body mass index was calculated, and a self-reported questionnaire was used to measure the estimated daily intake of added sugar. The mean number of sites with probing depth (PD) ≥ 4 mm and clinical attachment loss (CAL) ≥ 4 mm and presence of periodontitis were used as outcome measures. CDC/AAP periodontitis case definition was adopted. Bivariate analyses and multiple variable regression models were constructed. RESULTS: The study sample was 4,170 participants. The proportion of people that were overweight/obese was 51.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 48.1%, 54.1%]. Overall 21.3% (95% CI: 19.3%, 23.5%) people experienced periodontitis. The mean number of sites with PD ≥ 4 mm and CAL ≥ 4 mm were recorded as 0.7 (95% CI: 0.5, 0.9) and 2.4 (95% CI: 2.1, 2.6), respectively. Multiple variable analysis suggested that periodontal parameters [sites with PD ≥ 4 mm (0.13, 95% CI: -0.86, 0.35) and sites with CAL ≥ 4 mm (0.11, 95% CI: -0.58, 0.35) and presence of periodontitis (1.23, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.57)] were not associated with overweight/obesity when controlled for putative confounders. CONCLUSION: A positive association was found between overweight/obesity and periodontitis (PD and CAL). However, the statistical significance disappeared in the multiple variable regression analysis, where age, sex, smoking and dental visiting behaviour were found to be key determinants of periodontitis.

Geographical variation in preventable hospital admissions for dental conditions: An Australia-wide analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of hospital admissions for dental conditions, by Australian Statistical Geography Standard remoteness area for the 5 years 2010/2011 to 2014/2015. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of preventable hospital admissions due to dental conditions. SETTING: National data set provided by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. PARTICIPANTS: Every hospital admission for patients who were admitted for dental conditions over five financial years, from 2010/2011 to 2014/2015. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The number (and rate per 1000 population) of hospital admissions due to dental conditions in each Australian Statistical Geography Standard remoteness area (major city, inner regional, outer regional, remote and very remote). RESULTS: There were 316 937 hospital admissions for dental conditions over the 5-year period. The rate of potentially preventable dental hospital admissions ranged from an average of 2.5 per 1000 population in major cities to 3.2 in inner regional areas, 3.1 in outer regional areas, and 4.1 per 1000 in remote and very remote areas. The rate of admissions was highest among those aged 0-14 years living in remote (9.0-10.0 per 1000) and very remote (9.8-12.5 per 1000) areas. Dental caries was the most common reason for admissions. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need to address the social determinants of oral health in children aged 0-14 years living in remote and very remote Australia. The delivery of mobile primary dental care services needs to be expanded in remote and very remote areas to prevent and treat dental caries.

Obesity, dietary sugar and dental caries in Australian adults.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association of overweight/obesity, dental caries and dietary sugars in Australian adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Survey of Adult Oral Health (NSAOH) 2004-2006 provided data for analysis of dental caries experience. Self-reported body weight and height were used to calculate body mass index (BMI) for a subsample (n = 3,745, 89.8%) of the NSAOH data. A self-report questionnaire of 13 food items estimated the daily intake of added sugar, total sugars and total carbohydrate, using food composition estimates from the AUSNUT2011-2013. Bivariate analyses (Pearson's Chi-square with Rao-Scott adjustment and Student's t-tests) were used to determine the association of overweight/obesity, dental caries, sugar variables and putative confounders. Poisson regression models for the Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth Index and individual measures of decayed, missing and filled teeth were constructed, with models containing BMI, dietary added sugar, total sugar and total carbohydrate, controlling for putative confounders. RESULTS: There was a positive association between dental caries experience and being overweight or obese compared with having normal weight or being underweight as well as between sugar consumption with all four dental caries outcome measures. When controlled for putative confounders where sugar consumption was identified as a key determinant, the statistical significance between dental caries experience and being overweight or obese disappeared. The demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with dental caries experience were age, sex, education, smoking status and usual reason for dental visit. CONCLUSION: Analysis of the relationship between dental caries and obesity must include data about sugar and carbohydrate consumption.

Periodontal diagnosis, treatment, and referral patterns of general dental practitioners.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnosis, treatment, and referral patterns of periodontal patients by general dental practitioners (GDP). METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to registered GDP with publicly-listed postal addresses in Tasmania, Australia. Information was collected on demographics, training and professional development, examination, diagnosis and referral patterns, and periodontal treatment patterns. RESULTS: Seventy-seven (44.5%) questionnaires were completed. Over 85% always or usually screened for periodontal disease. On average, 0 to ≤7 patients were diagnosed with periodontal disease. GDP were always or usually confident in treating gingivitis (100%), mild (98.7%) and moderate periodontitis (73.7%), and rarely or never confident in treating severe (81.6%) and aggressive periodontitis (86.8%). Over 38% frequently referred to periodontists, 35.5% sometimes, 21.1% rarely, and 5.3% never. Clinical factors associated with referral were periodontal pocketing of ≥6 mm, tooth mobility, no improvement following treatment, and a complex medical history. CONCLUSIONS: Most GDP performed periodontal screening and diagnosis. They were confident in treating gingivitis and mild-to-moderate periodontitis. Referral to a periodontist was associated with disease severity, tooth mobility, a complex medical history, or unsuccessful treatment.

Non-clinical factors associated with referral to periodontal specialists.

BACKGROUND: There is a limited body of literature exploring referral relationships between general dental practitioners and periodontists. Clinical and non-clinical factors associated with the referral process are rarely considered however a better understanding of these will improve the general dentist practitioner and periodontal specialist relationship and benefit patient management. This study investigated which non-clinical factors have an association with the referral of patients by general dental practitioners to periodontists in Tasmania, Australia. METHODS: A questionnaire was emailed to registered general dental practitioners in Tasmania, Australia and information collected on demographics, referral patterns, and potential factors which may influence referral. RESULTS: Response rate was 44.5%. Non-clinical factors that influenced referral were previous treatment by a periodontist (70.8%), a complex medical history (56.8%), the patient's reluctance to undergo periodontal treatment, medico-legal reasons, patient awareness of periodontal disease (47.3%), and lack of training (43.2%). Patients frequently declined periodontal referral due to cost (66.2%), oral health not being a priority (55.4%), or inconvenience (46.6%). The most important periodontist qualities were their reputation (84.0%), patient feedback (81.3%), ease of communication (72.0%), report quality (68.0%), and location (62.7%). CONCLUSION: Non-clinical factors, such as practice type-, general dental practitioner-, patient-, periodontist-related factors are associated with referral by general dental practitioners to periodontists for periodontal management.

Parental Education Level and Dental Caries in School Children Living in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste struggles with problems of poverty and inequalities that underlie many health disparities, including oral health. This study aimed to determine the association between parental education and dental caries in school children aged 6 to 17 years from 40 randomly selected schools in 4 Dili subdistricts. A questionnaire and oral examination collected data and multivariable log binomial models were used for data analysis. Results indicate no association between parental education level and the prevalence of untreated decay in deciduous teeth ( P = .96). There was an association between parental education level and untreated decay in permanent teeth ( P = .03) and untreated decay overall ( P = .01). Children whose parents had higher education levels have approximately half the relative risk (aRR 0.47, 95% CI 0.25-0.89) of decay compared with children whose parents had low levels of education.

Perceptions of dental treatment need in Australian-born and migrant populations.

The objective of this study was to investigate differences in self-perceived and dentist-determined treatment need in Australian-born and migrant residents of Australia. Participants in the National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-06 were categorized into six groups according to country of birth. Interview and examination data were used to analyze differences between self-perceived and the 'gold standard' examiner-determined treatment need, and to compare the accuracy of self-reporting according to country of birth. Self-reported treatment needs, defined as the need for a restoration and/or extraction, were cross-tabulated with clinically observed conditions and compared using a multivariable logistic regression model. Concordance between self-reported and clinically-determined treatment need differed significantly for migrants from Europe and the UK and Australian-born individuals. In the logistic regression model, stratification according to examiner-determined treatment need revealed significantly greater reporting of treatment need by Asian-born migrants than by the Australian-born reference group. The results of this study demonstrate that self-perceived treatment need was less than the examiner-determined findings in European and UK migrant groups and Australian-born individuals. Additionally, Asian migrants were more likely than Australian-born individuals to over-report treatment need for a filling and/or extraction.

Advances in medical education and practice: role of massive open online courses.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are increasingly available in the area of health and medicine. These MOOCs are offered through various commercial and noncommercial online platforms. When offered through reputable institutions, they can provide valuable access to reliable information without the constraints of time, geographical location, or level of education. Most current courses appear introductory in nature. In its drive for quality health care, the National Academy of Medicine has prioritized a focus on known chronic care conditions. Many of these conditions are shared internationally. Among its initiatives, the academy encourages consumer and professional groups, patients, clinicians, health care organizations, and universities to work together to identify evidence-based care processes consistent with best practices, organize major prevention programs to target key associated health risk behaviors, and develop systems to measure and evaluate improvements in the provision of patient- and family-centered health care. Carefully designed and collaboratively developed MOOCs would appear a valuable resource to contribute to these initiatives. Such MOOCs can, 1) increase the health literacy of the public with regard to the prevention and treatment of known chronic care conditions, 2) provide ready access to continuing professional, and interprofessional, education, and 3) explore innovative teaching models for student learning focused on patient- and family-centered care. MOOCs would also appear helpful to facilitate effective communication among international communities of patients and clinicians, including student clinicians, with shared interests. Further, the accumulation of MOOC data through large-scale measurement and analysis, obtained nationally and internationally, has the potential to assist in greater understanding of the risk for diseases and their prevention, with this translating into medical education, and authentic, patient- and family-centered methods for student learning. This paper explores these issues.

A comparative analysis of policies addressing rural oral health in eight English-speaking OECD countries.

INTRODUCTON: Oral health is fundamental to overall health. Poor oral health is largely preventable but unacceptable inequalities exist, particularly for people in rural areas. The issues are complex. Rural populations are characterised by lower rates of health insurance, higher rates of poverty, less water fluoridation, fewer dentists and oral health specialists, and greater distances to access care. These factors inter-relate with educational, attitudinal, and system-level issues. An important area of enquiry is whether and how national oral health policies address causes and solutions for poor rural oral health. The purpose of this study was to examine a series of government policies on oral health to (i) determine the extent to which such policies addressed rural oral health issues, and (ii) identify enabling assumptions in policy language about problems and solutions regarding rural communities. METHODS: Eight current oral health policies were identified from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Validated content and critical discourse analyses were used to document and explore the concepts in these policy documents, with a particular focus on the frequency with which rural oral health was mentioned, and the enabling assumptions in policy language about rural communities. RESULTS: Seventy-three concepts relating to oral health were identified from the textual analysis of the eight policy documents. The rural concept addressing oral health issues occurred in only 2% of all policies and was notably absent from the oral health policies of countries with substantial rural populations. It occurred most frequently in the policy documents from Australia and Scotland, less so in the policy documents from Canada, Wales, and New Zealand, and not at all in the oral health policies from the US, England, and Northern Ireland. Thus, the oral health needs of rural communities were generally not the focus of, nor included in, the oral health policy documents in this study. When the language of concepts related to rural oral health was examined, the qualitative analysis identified four discourse themes related to both causality and solutions. These ranked discourse themes focused on service models, workforce issues, social determinants of health, and prevention. None of the policies addressed the structural economic determinants of unequal rural oral health, nor did they specifically assert the rights of children in rural communities to equitable oral health care. CONCLUSIONS: This study documented the limited focus on rural oral health that existed in national oral health policies from eight different English-speaking countries. It supports the need for an increased focus on rural oral health issues in oral health policies, particularly as increased oral health is clearly associated with increased general health. It speaks to the critical importance of periodic analysis of the content of oral health policies to ensure that issues of inequality are addressed. Further, it reinforces the need for research findings about effective oral health care to be translated into practice in the development of practical and financially viable policies to make access to oral health care more equitable, particularly for people living in rural and remote areas.

A Review of Mercury Exposure and Health of Dental Personnel.

Considerable effort has been made to address the issue of occupational health and environmental exposure to mercury. This review reports on the current literature of mercury exposure and health impacts on dental personnel. Citations were searched using four comprehensive electronic databases for articles published between 2002 and 2015. All original articles that evaluated an association between the use of dental amalgam and occupational mercury exposure in dental personnel were included. Fifteen publications from nine different countries met the selection criteria. The design and quality of the studies showed significant variation, particularly in the choice of biomarkers as an indicator of mercury exposure. In several countries, dental personnel had higher mercury levels in biological fluids and tissues than in control groups; some work practices increased mercury exposure but the exposure levels remained below recommended guidelines. Dental personnel reported more health conditions, often involving the central nervous system, than the control groups. Clinical symptoms reported by dental professionals may be associated with low-level, long-term exposure to occupational mercury, but may also be due to the effects of aging, occupational overuse, and stress. It is important that dental personnel, researchers, and educators continue to encourage and monitor good work practices by dental professionals.

Non-Clinical Factors Associated With Referrals to Periodontal Specialists: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive understanding of the referral process and factors associated with it will assist general dentist (GD)-periodontist relationships and benefit patient care and services. Non-clinical factors (NCFs) influence clinical decision making but are rarely considered. The objective of this review is to identify NCFs found to be associated with referrals to periodontal specialists. METHODS: A systematic review of English-language literature was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. An electronic search was carried out using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Sources, and PubMed. Search terms used included: 1) refer; 2) referral; 3) periodontal; and 4) periodontist. Potentially relevant publications were analyzed in detail using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Selected papers were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and data extracted were thematically synthesized. RESULTS: Ten studies that examined NCFs fulfilled inclusion criteria. Four NCF themes identified were practice-, GD-, patient-, and periodontist-related factors. CONCLUSIONS: Limited literature is available on NCFs associated with referrals to periodontal specialists. Within the limits of this systematic review, NCFs affecting the referral process are practice-, GD-, patient-, and periodontist-related factors. These vary among different GD populations studied. Factors that could be targeted to improve referral processes include geographic location, undergraduate training, and continuing professional development.

Opportunities in oral health policy for Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste faces an urgent set of challenges in oral health. The impact of oral diseases in terms of reduced quality of life and cost of treatment is considerable. This paper reviews progress on policy recommendations since the National Oral Health Survey in 2002, the first such national survey. Few proposals have been implemented to date, owing to (i) lack of local support for the recommendations, particularly on promotion of oral health; (ii) lack of financial and budgetary provisions for oral health; (iii) lack of focus on services, human resources and dental personnel; (iv) poor focus, design and implementation of policy and planning in oral health; and (v) lack of transport to facilitate health-care workers' access to remote areas. Based on this assessment, the present paper presents a reconfigured set of policies and recommendations for oral health that take into consideration the reasons for low uptake of previous guidance. Key priorities are promotion of oral health, legislative interventions, education of the oral-health workforce, dental outreach programmes, targeted dental treatment, dental infrastructure programmes, and research and evaluation. Interventions include promotion of oral health for schoolchildren, salt fluoridation, fluoride toothpaste and banning sweet stalls and use of tobacco and betel nut in, or near, schools. Timor-Leste should strengthen the availability and quality of outreach programmes for oral health. Dental therapists and dental nurses who can supply preventive and atraumatic restorative dental care should continue to be trained, and the planned dentistry school should be established. Ongoing research and evaluation is needed to ensure that the approach being used in Timor-Leste is leading to improved outcomes in oral health.

Long-term routine dental attendance is important for older adults.

ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: Long-term routine dental attendance: influence on tooth loss and oral health-related quality of life in Swedish older adults. Astrøm AN, Ekback G, Ordell S, Nasir E. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2014;42(5):460-69. REVIEWER: Leonard A. Crocombe, BDSc, MBA, MPA, PhD PURPOSE/QUESTION: To investigate the effect of long-term dental attendance on oral health-n-related quality of life and tooth loss. SOURCE OF FUNDING: Government: Department of Dentistry, Orebro County; The Dental Commissioning Unit, Ostergotland County, Sweden; NRC Grant 204887/V50. TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN: Cohort study LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2: Limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION GRADE: Not applicable.

Costly chronic diseases: a retrospective analysis of Chronic Disease Dental Scheme expenditure.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate Medicare rebate claim trends under the Australian Chronic Disease Dental Scheme (CDDS) over time, region and type of service. METHODS: CDDS data obtained from the Department of Human Services reflected all Medicare item claims lodged under the CDDS by dental practitioners and processed by Medicare. Retrospective analysis of CDDS rebate claims was conducted. RESULTS: The CDDS rebates for the period 2008-13 totalled A$2.8 billion. Just under 81% of claims were from dental practitioners working in major cities. The most frequent rebates were for crown, bridge and implant (32.4%), removable prostheses (22.4%) and restorative services (21.3%). The rebate claims of restorative services, crown and bridge, and removable prostheses per dentist in all regional areas increased over the time of the CDDS. Per capita, the rebates for every type of dental service were lower in the more remote regions. CONCLUSIONS: Rebate claims increased in each of the last 3 full years of the CDDS across all areas. The majority of Medicare rebate claims were from major city areas and for crown and bridge, removable prostheses and restorative services. The service mix varied between regions.