Care coordination among pediatricians and dentists: a cross-sectional study of opinions of North Carolina dentists

Table 1 Characteristics of dentists included in the analytical sample

Mean (standard deviation) or %	All (N = 379)	General dentists who treat infants and toddlers (N = 279)	Pediatric dentists (N = 100)
*Individual characteristics*
Pediatric dentist	26.4	0	100***
Graduated dental school before 2001	29.5	32.6	20.6*
Male	64.9	68.8	54**
*Practice characteristics*
10% or more of patients in practice are Medicaid-insured	50.7	40.5	79***
Age dentist will see child for first visit
1 year	55.7	45.2	85***
2 years	11.6	15.4	1***
3 years or older	26.1	34.1	4***
*Awareness of guidelines*
Aware of 2008 AAP infant oral health guidelines[8]	52.9	39.9	89***
Aware of 2010 AAPD infant oral health guidelines[9]	55.9	40.2	99***
*Opinion of guidelines*
Scale measuring opinions about guidelines	2.3 (0.5)	2.4 (0.5)	2.1 (0.4)***
*Agreement about physicians role in promoting oral health*
Dental referrals by physicians are effective in increasing the percentage of infants with a dental home^a	78.1	73.8	90***
Caries risk assessment, counseling & varnish provided by physicians decreases disease in infants and toddlers^a	76.8	78.5	72
*Opinions about infant and toddler oral health care*
Age one dental visit is effective in prevention of early childhood caries^a	71.0	64.5	89
Have to make significant changes in my schedule to incorporate infant oral health care^a	17.2	21.5	5***
Parents see the importance in dental referrals from physicians	59.4	55.6	70*

P-values from t-test for continuous variables and chi-squared test for binary and categorical variables. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.
Sample size varies for a few variables listed above: graduation year (n = 376); percent Medicaid patients (n = 367); referrals from; age dentist will see for first visit (n = 354); aware of AAP guidelines (n = 378); aware of AAPD guidelines (n = 376); opinions about guidelines (n = 371).
^aIndicates response of strongly agree or agree (reference: unsure, disagree, strongly disagree).

ISSN: 1472-6831