Publications by authors named "Raul Palacio"
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of two preventive interventions aimed at increasing the proportion of caries-free preschool children of low socioeconomic status using a decision analytic model.
Methods: Two scenarios were tested, one with a school milk program (SMP) and one without (non-SMP). Fluoride varnish (FV) and a probiotic (PB) were compared to a do-nothing alternative among children in public nurseries/schools over a 4-year period.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the impact of fluoride varnish (FV) application on reducing dental caries in Chilean preschool children, using a decision analytic model (DAM) to analyze cost-effectiveness.
- Various FV interventions were tested against an oral health counseling-only approach over two years, revealing that FV without screening was both the most effective and cost-efficient method.
- Results showed a 3.7% increase in caries-free children at a cost of £3 per child and identified factors affecting cost-effectiveness, including the age of FV application and the qualifications of the staff administering it.