Cost of Illness Study on Oral Cancer in Australia.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to estimate the economic burden of oral cancer in Australia from the societal perspective.

Methods: The population consisted of the prevalence of lip and oral cavity cancer, and other lip, oral cavity, and pharynx cancers for ages 40 years and older. Healthcare costs of oral cancer were estimated using 2019-2020 Australian Disease Expenditure Data.

Development of algorithms for estimating the Child Health Utility 9D from Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disability.

Purpose: The primary aim was to determine Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) utilities from the Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities (CPCHILD) for non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: One hundred and eight surveys completed by Australian parents/caregivers of children with CP were analysed. Spearman's coefficients were used to investigate the correlations between the two instruments.

Comparison of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-4D) and Child Health Utility Index (CHU-9D) in children with oral diseases.

Objective: Accurate assessment of child oral health is important for guiding economic evaluations and informing healthcare decision-making. Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-4D) is a preference-based instrument that measures the oral health-related quality of life of young children. The aim of this study was to compare the utility scores of ECOHIS-4D and Child Health Utility Index (CHU-9D), against an oral health indicator to evaluate which utility score corresponds better with the oral health indicator.

Fit for Purpose? The Suitability of Oral Health Outcome Measures to Inform Policy.

Oral health research and program evaluation should consider alternative outcome measures for population oral health other than the DMFT index.

Modeled health economic and equity impact on dental caries and health outcomes from a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax in Australia.

Dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease across the life course. This study modeled the population health and economic impact of a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax (SSB) for preventing dental caries compared to no intervention (societal and healthcare perspective). A cost-effectiveness analysis according to quintiles of area-level socioeconomic disadvantage was performed for the 2020 Australian population (0-100 years old) using a closed cohort Markov model.

Dental enamel defects and dental caries of primary teeth among Indigenous children in Western Australia.

Background: Teeth affected with enamel defects (EDs) are at an increased risk of dental caries. In spite of improving oral health status overall in Australia, Indigenous Australians still experience higher rates of dental caries than non-Indigenous Australians. This study reports on the prevalence of EDs and dental caries experience among Indigenous children in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Economic Evaluations of Preventive Interventions for Dental Caries and Periodontitis: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: To critically examine the methods used for full economic evaluations of preventive interventions for dental caries and periodontitis.

Methods: Published literature post-2000 was searched to April 2021. Based on a developed intervention classification framework for dental caries and periodontitis, only universal, selective or indicated interventions were included in this review.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of silver diamine fluoride to divert dental general anaesthesia compared to standard care.

Background: The aim is to perform a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of a silver diamine fluoride (SDF) protocol intervention to divert dental general anaesthesia (DGA) among Victorian children aged 2-10 years.

Methods: Data inputs were based on an Australian single-cohort 2017/18 study. Intervention costs for standard care were derived from two subgroups of children: (1) children who received standard care without DGA, and (2) children who received standard care with DGA.

An intervention to improve the self-efficacy of key workers to support parental wellbeing at an early childhood intervention service in Australia: a stepped wedged randomized cluster trial.

Purpose: It is well documented parents of children who have a disability are at an increased risk of poor mental health and wellbeing. A capacity building program designed to build key worker self-efficacy to support the mental health of parents accessing early childhood intervention services (ECIS) for their child was trialled.

Materials And Methods: A stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial design was utilised to deliver and evaluate a 12-month intervention program, comprising tailored professional development, resource development and sustainability measures.

Atraumatic restorative treatments and oral health-related quality of life and dental anxiety in Australian Aboriginal children: A cluster-randomized trial.

Objectives: The management of early childhood caries is challenging and the impacts of its treatment on child oral health-related quality of life (COHRQoL) and dental anxiety among Australian Aboriginal children is relatively unknown. The aim of the study was to compare the impact on COHRQoL and dental anxiety after approximately 12 months among Aboriginal children treated for early childhood caries (ECC) using the Atraumatic Restorative Treatment and the Hall Technique (ART/HT: test) or standard care (control).

Methods: Consenting Aboriginal communities in the North-West of Western Australia were randomized into early (test) or delayed (control) intervention for the management of ECC.

Multiple effects health economic evaluation of the Ahead of The Game Study for mental health promotion in sporting club communities.

Background: This study evaluates the Ahead Of The Game (AOTG) mental health promotion strategy for adolescent males relative to usual practice in team based sporting club community settings, allowing for joint incremental effects across 13 dimensions and 5 domains alongside intervention implementation costs.

Methods: Analysis is undertaken between matched communities with difference in differences analysis of joint multiple pre-post effect changes alongside implementation costs employing radar plots in cost-disutility space. A robust bootstrapping method allowed including all observed change in effect data from 343 AOTG and 273 control arm participants across 13 effect dimensions.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of atraumatic restorative treatment to manage early childhood caries: microsimulation modelling.

Background: This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of atraumatic restorative treatment and the Hall Technique approach (ART/HT) in managing dental caries in young children under the health provider perspective in order to explore a best-buy alternative to dental general anaesthesia (DGA).

Methods: Sixty-five observations from a randomized controlled trial were used to construct 20 000 microsimulations representing individual-level clinical outcome and costs of the DGA and ART/HT. Outcome was percentage of successfully managed cases.

Evaluation of an intervention to promote minimally invasive dentistry (MID) in an Australian community dental agency-A pilot study.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of an intervention consisting of a 1-day continuing professional development (CPD) education programme on the International Caries Classification and Management System (ICCMS ), and monthly performance feedback, and to promote minimally invasive dentistry (MID) for children aged under 12 years in an Australian community dental agency. The a priori hypotheses assumed the intervention would increase preventive services, and treatment demand was met.

Methods: A quasi non-randomized controlled trial with convenience sampling method was adopted.

Developing an early childhood oral health impact-specific health-state classification system for a new preference-based instrument, the ECOHIS-4D.

Objectives: Most of the paediatric quality-of-life instruments in oral health research are not preference-based measures, thus cannot be used in economic evaluations. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) is one such instrument which assesses oral health impact on children's quality of life among three- to five-year-olds. With increasing demands for more resource allocation in oral health care, there is a need for an outcome metric which can be used as the outcome in economic evaluations.

Understanding key worker experiences at an Australian Early Childhood Intervention Service.

The delivery of family-centred practice (FCP) within Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECISs) for young children with a disability or development delay conceptualises that children's learning environments, parenting, family and community supports intersect to have the greatest impact on the developing child. The transdisciplinary key worker model is considered a best-practice approach within ECISs whereby staff work collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries to plan and implement services for children and their families. Research suggests families who have a key worker have better relationships with services, fewer unmet needs, better morale, more information about services, higher parental satisfaction and more parental involvement than those not receiving this service.

A Cost Analysis of an Outreach School-Based Dental Program: Teeth on Wheels.

Background: This study evaluated an outreach mobile dental service called Teeth on Wheels (TOW). The dental program targeted Australian children from low household income, who are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Scheme (CDBS) in Victoria, Australia. The program is complemented with a school-based oral health promotion element.

Dental Restrictions to Clinical Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Australian Perspective.

The reportedly low COVID-19 transmission occurring in dental settings highlight achievements made by the dental profession. There are valid reasons to reconsider risk-based essential oral healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Atraumatic Restorative Treatments in Australian Aboriginal Communities: A Cluster-randomized Trial.

Introduction: The management of early childhood caries (ECC) is challenging.

Objectives: A model of care based on Atraumatic Restorative Treatment and the Hall Technique (ART-HT) to manage ECC was evaluated among remote Aboriginal communities in Australia.

Methods: Aboriginal communities in the North-West of Western Australia were invited to participate and consenting communities were randomized into early or delayed intervention for the management of ECC.

The Modelled Population Obesity-Related Health Benefits of Reducing Consumption of Discretionary Foods in Australia.

Over one third of Australians' daily energy intake is from discretionary foods and drinks. While many health promotion efforts seek to limit discretionary food intake, the population health impact of reductions in the consumption of different types of discretionary foods (e.g.

Health-related quality of life and upper-limb impairment in children with cerebral palsy: developing a mapping algorithm.

Aim: To: (1) investigate the relationship between upper-limb impairment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for children with cerebral palsy and (2) develop a mapping algorithm from the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (CPQoL-Child) onto the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) measure.

Method: The associations between physical and upper-limb classifications and HRQoL of 76 children (40 females, 36 males) aged 6 to 15 years (mean age 9 years 7 months [SD 3y]) were assessed. Five statistical techniques were developed and tested, which predicted the CHU9D scores from the CPQoL-Child total/domain scores, age, and sex.

A Markov cost-effective analysis of biannual fluoride varnish for preventing dental caries in permanent teeth over a 70-year time horizon.

Issue Addressed: Biannual application of fluoride varnish is effective for dental caries prevention, but its cost-effectiveness using quality-adjusted life years (QALY) is unknown. This study performed a cost-effectiveness analysis, from the Australian health care system perspective of biannual application of fluoride varnish versus current practice (non-routine application) for an individual aged 15 years and older over a 70-year time horizon.

Methods: Health outcomes measured were the number of prevented decayed, missing, and filled teeth (prevented-DMFT) and QALY gained.

A dental workforce strategy to make Australian public dental services more efficient.

Background: Dental services can be provided by the oral health therapy (OHT) workforce and dentists. This study aims to quantify the potential cost-savings of increased utilisation of the OHT workforce in providing dental services for children under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). The CDBS is an Australian federal government initiative to increase dental care access for children aged 2-17 years.