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Table 3 Predictors of dentists' referral response for a low-risk 18 month old child a

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

 

Adequate workforce (N = 305)

Limited workforce (N = 303)

Variables

Wait and refer the child at age 3, but continue screenings

Wait and refer the child at age 3, but provide varnish

Wait and refer the child at age 3, but continue screenings

Wait and refer the child at age 3, but provide varnish

Individual characteristics

    

Graduated dental school before 2001

1.84 [0.86, 3.93]b

2.81* [1.15, 6.85]

0.99 [0.49, 2.00]

1.82 [0.91, 3.65]

Male

1.75 [0.83, 3.73]

2.91* [1.08, 7.84]

1.08 [0.54, 2.18]

1.40 [0.7, 2.9]

Practice characteristics

    

≥10% patients in practice are Medicaid-insured

0.89 [0.44, 1.78]

1.46 [0.65, 3.27]

0.84 [0.44, 1.61]

1.38 [0.71, 2.67]

Age dentist will see child for first visit (ref: 1 year)

    

 2 years

3.94** [1.42, 10.90]

4.51* [1.33, 15.32]

1.90 [0.7, 5.2]

1.72 [0.58, 5.07]

 3 years or older

5.21*** [2.18, 12.48]

4.46** [1.71, 11.64]

2.67* [1.13, 6.31]

2.01 [0.86, 4.72]

Awareness of guidelines

    

Aware of 2008 AAP infant oral health guidelines

1.32 [0.45, 3.90]

0.25* [0.08, 0.78]

1.49 [0.51, 4.33]

0.74 [0.30, 1.86]

Aware of 2010 AAPD infant oral health guidelines

0.27* [0.09, 0.84]

1.06 [0.37, 3.06]

0.30 [0.1, 1.0]

1.00 [0.4, 2.7]

Opinion of guidelines

    

Scale measuring opinions about guidelines

1.80 [0.9, 3.6]

1.05 [0.46, 2.42]

1.98 [0.96, 4.09]

1.43 [0.68, 3.02]

Agreement about physicians role in promoting oral health

    

Dental referrals by physicians are effective in increasing % of infants with a dental home

0.38* [0.15, 0.95]

0.24* [0.07, 0.79]

0.38* [0.16, 0.90]

0.30* [0.11, 0.77]

Caries risk assessment, counseling & varnish provided by physicians decreases disease in infants and toddlers

1.51 [0.65, 3.53]

4.70* [1.2, 18.3]

1.02 [0.48, 2.16]

3.70** [1.5, 9.5]

Opinions about infant and toddler oral health care

    

Age 1 dental visit is effective in ECC prevention

0.28***[0.13, 0.58]

0.24** [0.10, 0.62]

0.43* [0.20, 0.91]

0.60 [0.3, 1.4]

Have to make significant changes in my schedule to incorporate infant oral health care

1.57 [0.60, 4.11]

0.44 [0.11, 1.78]

1.20 [0.53, 2.73]

0.46 [0.15, 1.41]

Parents see the importance in dental referrals from physicians

1.60 [0.78, 3.28]

3.49* [1.23, 9.89]

1.77 [0.93, 3.38]

2.92** [1.39, 6.12]

  1. aReference group: Refer to a dentist now; bRelative risk ratios followed by 95% confidence intervals in brackets. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.
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BMC Oral Health

ISSN: 1472-6831

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