Development of quality measures to assess tooth decay outcomes from electronic health record data.

Objectives: To develop outcomes of care quality measures derived from the dental electronic health record (EHR) to assess the occurrence and timely treatment of tooth decay.

Methods: Quality measures were developed to assess whether decay was treated within 6 months and if new decay occurred in patients seen. Using EHR-derived data of the state of each tooth surface, algorithms compared the patient's teeth at different dates to determine if decay was treated or new decay had occurred.

How do you implement value-based care methodologies in dentistry with existing dental organizational paradigms?

The U.S. healthcare sector is a paradox - achieving comparatively poor population health outcomes despite outspending the world - and the current paradigm is a dichotomy - pursuing value definition consisting of quality, outcome, and cost, but failing to act in aligned and informed manner.

Tracking oral health in a standardized, evidence-based, prevention-focused dental care system.

Objectives: Learning health-care systems are foundational for measuring and achieving value in oral health care. This article describes the components of a preventive dental care program and the quality of care in a large dental accountable care organization.

Methods: A retrospective study design describes and evaluates the cross-sectional measures of process of care (PoC), appropriateness of care (AoC), and outcomes of care (OoC) extracted from the electronic health record (EHR), between 2014 and 2019.

Developing and Testing Electronic Health Record-Derived Caries Indices.

Caries indices, the basis of epidemiologic caries measures, are not easily obtained in clinical settings. This study's objective was to design, test, and validate an automated program (Valid Electronic Health Record Dental Caries Indices Calculator Tool [VERDICT]) to calculate caries indices from an electronic health record (EHR). Synthetic use case scenarios and actual patient cases of primary, mixed, and permanent dentition, including decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT/dmft) and tooth surfaces (DMFS/dmfs) were entered into the EHR.

Periodontal Management by Risk Assessment: A Pragmatic Approach.

Unlabelled: An evidence-based periodontal disease risk assessment and diagnosis system has been developed and combined with a clinical decision support and management program to improve treatment and measure patient outcomes.

Background: There is little agreement on a universally accepted periodontal risk assessment, periodontal diagnosis, and treatment management tool and their incorporation into dental practice to improve patient care. This article highlights the development and use of a practical periodontal management and risk assessment program that can be implemented in dental settings.