Dental providers' familiarity with and attitudes about alternative payment models in value-based care.

The objective of this study was to examine dental providers' familiarity with and attitudes toward alternative payment models (APMs) in a value-based care (VBC) delivery model. The authors analyzed responses to questions pertaining to VBC and APMs from a survey conducted between March and April 2021. Responses were stratified by age, race, practice location, practice type, and provider specialty using descriptive and inferential analysis, including Pearson chi-square or Fisher exact test.

Discrimination and Dignity Experiences in Prior Oral Care Visits Predict Racialized Oral Health Inequities Among Nationally Representative US Adults.

Racism, an oppressive and fallacious sociopolitical hierarchy, is a fundamental cause of oral health inequities worldwide. Everyday discrimination is associated with worse self-rated oral health, toothache and adult tooth loss, and lower oral care utilization. Few studies examine discrimination or microaggressions within oral care settings or their effects on oral health outcomes.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of self-assembling peptide P-4 on arrest, cavitation, and progression of initial caries lesions.

Background: Simple noninvasive evidence-based interventions for caries are needed to overcome limitations in the restorative paradigm. The self-assembling peptide P-4 is a noninvasive intervention that regenerates enamel in initial caries lesions.

Studies Reviewed: The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of the P-4 products Curodont Repair (Credentis; now manufactured by vVARDIS) (CR) and Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus (Credentis; now manufactured by vVARDIS) on initial caries lesions.

Periodontal treatment associated with decreased diabetes mellitus-related treatment costs: An analysis of dental and medical claims data.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontal disease have a suggested bidirectional relationship. Researchers have reported decreases in DM-related health care costs after periodontal treatment. The authors examined the relationship between periodontal disease treatment and DM health care costs in commercial insurance and Medicaid claims data.

Caries risk and social determinants of health: A big data report.

Background: Oral health is influenced by social determinants of health (SDH), predisposing people and communities to greater risk of developing caries. This study evaluated the association between caries risk in adults and SDH such as ZIP Codes, systemic diseases, payment methods, and race or ethnicity.

Methods: The BigMouth Dental Data Repository (n = 57,211) was used to extract clinical and SDH data from patients' dental electronic health records for 2019.

Estimation of oral disease burden from claims and self-reported data.

Objective: To compare the use of Medicaid and commercial claims data with self-reported survey data in estimating the prevalence of oral disease burden.

Methods: We analyzed 2018 Medicaid claims from the IBM Watson Medicaid Marketscan database, commercial claims from the IBM Dental Database, and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. The estimate of oral disease burden was based on standard metrics using periodontal and caries-related Current Dental Terminology (CDT) procedure codes.

The association between accessing dental services and nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia among 2019 Medicaid beneficiaries.

In this 2019 cross-sectional study, we analyzed hospital records for Medicaid beneficiaries who acquired nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia. The results suggest that preventive dental treatment in the 12 months prior or periodontal therapy in the 6 months prior to a hospitalization is associated with a reduced risk of NVHAP.

Incidence, mortality, and cost trends in nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia in medicaid beneficiaries, 2015-2019.

Nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia is associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and costs during an episode of acute care. We examined NVHAP incidence, mortality, and costs of Medicaid beneficiaries over a 5-year period (2015-2019). Overall NVHAP incidence was 2.

Dentist perceptions about the value of teledentistry.

Background: Teledentistry has expanded access to oral health care by allowing patients and providers the option to receive care using technology and telecommunications. This study used a cross-sectional, mixed-methods design to evaluate dentists' perceptions in the United States and understanding of the value and scope of teledentistry in their practices and to adopt virtual encounters as a care delivery methodology.

Methods: This study used a cross-sectional, mixed-methods design.

Identifying the Utility of Dental Providers in Human Papillomavirus Prevention Efforts: Results From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2018.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to (1) examine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in adolescents and young adults in the U.S., including those who had a dental visit in the last year but not a medical visit and (2) to determine an association between last visit to the dentist and HPV vaccination status.

National Trends and Characteristics in Emergency Department Visits for Nontraumatic Dental Conditions Among Pediatric Patients.

The purpose of this study was to examine trends and characteristics of pediatric nontraumatic dental condition (NTDC) visits to emergency departments (EDs) in the United States from 2010 to 2017. The 2010 to 2017 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) was analyzed for NTDC visits to EDs for children (zero to 20 years old). NTDC visits were identified based on ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes.

A systematic review of dental-related emergency department among Medicaid beneficiaries.

Objectives: Dental-related emergency department (ED) visits are a growing public health concern. Dental insurance coverage is a strong predictor of dental service access. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to assess the incidence of dental-related ED visits for Medicaid dental enrollees compared to those with other insurances.