Economic aspects of a caries preventive program

Abstract

Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses (CBA and CEA) have been done on a preventive program. The program included professional toothcleaning, dietary and oral hygiene instruction, topical fluoride application and sealing of pits and fissures in 9--12-year-old children over 2 years. All measures were delivered by a specially trained dental nurse. In spite of a marked reduction in caries activity both CBA and CEA indicated that the preventive program was highly uneconomic compared to traditional dental care (3.73/1). However, when comparing the cost per completely treated child and year in the trial clinic continuing to use the preventive measures described, with that in dental clinics with no special preventive programs the cost seemed to be lower in the trial clinic now markedly interested in prophylaxis.