Disciplines
Industrial Engineering
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Dental caries, commonly known as cavities, persist as a prevalent chronic disease among children. Dental sealants, which are transparent coatings applied to the molars, have been proven to prevent over 80% of caries in these teeth. However, the effectiveness of sealants diminishes over time, primarily due to their potential to detach shortly after application due to inadequate bonding, or else gradually over time. Notably, dental insurance coverage for resealing teeth after the initial sealant has been lost varies widely, with many policies only covering the cost of the initial application. This study employs a Markov model-based discrete event simulation to explore four distinct resealing policies for the first molars of a hypothetical cohort of 7-year-olds who have just received their initial sealants. We assess the health impact of these policies in terms of the reduction in first molar caries and the decrease in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), alongside cost-effectiveness from reduced cavity fillings. The findings of this study aim to provide valuable insights to policymakers and insurance providers regarding the cost-effectiveness of including first molar resealing in their coverage policies.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Industrial and Systems Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Christina Scherrer
Included in
Evaluating the Health Benefits and Cost-Effectiveness of Dental Sealant Reapplication among Children and Adolescents
Dental caries, commonly known as cavities, persist as a prevalent chronic disease among children. Dental sealants, which are transparent coatings applied to the molars, have been proven to prevent over 80% of caries in these teeth. However, the effectiveness of sealants diminishes over time, primarily due to their potential to detach shortly after application due to inadequate bonding, or else gradually over time. Notably, dental insurance coverage for resealing teeth after the initial sealant has been lost varies widely, with many policies only covering the cost of the initial application. This study employs a Markov model-based discrete event simulation to explore four distinct resealing policies for the first molars of a hypothetical cohort of 7-year-olds who have just received their initial sealants. We assess the health impact of these policies in terms of the reduction in first molar caries and the decrease in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), alongside cost-effectiveness from reduced cavity fillings. The findings of this study aim to provide valuable insights to policymakers and insurance providers regarding the cost-effectiveness of including first molar resealing in their coverage policies.