ORAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND COST ANALYSIS OF DENTAL PROGRAM AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN BANGKOK SERVED BY MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF DENTISTRY THAILAND

Abstract

Dental caries and gingivitis are common oral diseases in schoolchildren. This retrospective analysis was done to assess oral health problems and risk factors of children aged 6-14 years in selected primary school in Bangkok. Data of 509 schoolchildren were analyzed. The dmft index for grade 1 children demonstrated that prevalence of caries in primary teeth of grade 1 children was 82.6%. On the contrary, children in grade 2-6, high level of caries in permanent teeth was only 2.5%. Besides, gingivitis affected main group of children (76.8%). After logistic regression analysis found only poor oral hygiene significantly associated with dmft level (Adj OR=12.04, 95% of CI = 1.11-131.28). Gender, educational level and underlying diseases were significantly associated with DMFT level (Adj OR=2.32, 95% of CI =1.25-4.32, Adj OR=2.05, 95% of CI =1.04-4.06, and Adj OR= 4.09, 95% of CI =2.01-8.32, respectively). For gingivitis, school and oral hygiene were significantly associated factors (Adj OR= 3.5, 95% of CI =1.71-7.37, and Adj OR=19.09, 95% of CI =5.12-71.24) It indicated that early detection and prevention program should be provided for this group of children. The estimated costs of school oral health program, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University in academic year 2015 was 1,373,754.39 baht comprised of labor cost (20.85%), material cost (8.45%), capitation cost (42.73%) and miscellaneous (27.97%). Capitation of this program equal to 2,348.30 baht per child. Salaries of supervisor, costs of equipment and material for sealant, PRR and filling were a majority part of labor costs, capital costs and material costs, respectively. Particularly, in capital cost and material costs were accountable for more than half of total costs.