Dental visits and professional fluoride applications for children ages 3 to 6 in Iowa.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report the occurrence of having a dental visit and/or a topical fluoride treatment from age 36 months to 72 months among a cohort of children followed longitudinally since birth.

Methods: Families of children enrolled in a study of fluoride ingestion were asked about their children's dental appointments and office fluoride treatments occurring during the time interval since the previous mailed questionnaire. Percentages of children who had at least 1 dental visit and at least 1 fluoride treatment during each 6-month period, each year of life, and cumulatively from birth were calculated separately. Factors related to dental visits were assessed using generalized linear models.

Results: Among those with complete data, 71% reported a visit cumulatively from birth to 48 months, 89% from birth to 60 months, and 96% by age 72 months. Similarly, 27% reported a professional fluoride treatment by 48 months, 44% by 60 months, and 66% by 72 months.

Conclusions: Among children who had not been seen by a dentist by age 3, almost all were seen by age 6. Similarly, among those who had no professional fluoride treatment by age 3, almost two-thirds received one by age 6.