Preventive care and recall intervals. Targeting of services in child dental care in Norway.

UNLABELLED: Skewed caries distribution has made interesting the use of a high risk strategy in child dental services. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the preventive dental care given and the recall intervals used for children and adolescents in a low caries risk population, and to study how the time spent for preventive care and the length of intervals were associated with characteristics of the children and factors related to care delivery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Time spent for and type of preventive care, recall intervals, oral health and health behaviour of children and adolescents three to 18 years of age (n = 576) and the preventive services delivered were registered at routine dental examinations in the public dental services. RESULTS: The time used for preventive dental care was on average 22% of the total time used in a course of treatment (7.3 of 33.4 minutes). Less than 15% of the variation in time spent for prevention was explained by oral health, oral health behaviours and other characteristics of the children and the service delivery. The mean (SD) recall intervals were 15.4 (4.6) months and 55% of the children were given intervals equal to or longer than 18 months. Approximately 30% of the variation in the length of the recall intervals was explained by characteristics of the child and the service delivery. CONCLUSIONS: The time used for preventive dental care of children in a low risk population was standardized, while the recall intervals to a certain extent were individualized according to dental health and dental health behaviour.

Children who break dental appointments.

AIM: This was to assess factors associated with children's non-compliance with regular dental appointments. The study used demographics, oral health behaviour, oral health and use of dental services for children with a recent history of broken appointments and compared them with children who kept recall appointments. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Children (n=576) recalled for routine examination in the public dental services were studied. Information regarding failed dental appointments during the previous 2 years was collected from each child's record. At examination, past history, clinical and radiographic information was recorded. STATISTICS: The data were analysed using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: During the previous 2 years 15% of the children had broken at least one appointment. No significant differences were found between children with and without failed appointments regarding demographic variables (age, gender, immigrant status and medical condition) or dental health behaviours. Compared with other children, those with a history of broken appointments had more enamel disturbances, higher caries experience and higher caries activity (more new caries at the examination), and more time was needed to complete their dental treatment. They were given shorter recall intervals to the next dental examination. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that children who break appointments are caries risk patients and need special attention.