Implementation of care coordination and technology in the dental setting to address high-risk patient needs

Abstract

Poor oral health, and biological impact of oral disease, affects a person’s general health and well-being. Using electronic dental health record data to identify high-risk dental caries patients coupled with a new oral health team member, the dental care advocate (DCA) facilitated the dental organization’s ability to create TechQuity by enabling outreach to the patients in need of the most care, the high-risk dental caries patient. Conclusions: N = 86,025, patients with at least one DCA contact were significantly associated with an increased odds of patients scheduling an appointment compared with those who had no DCA contact, adjusting for other factors in the model (odds ratio [OR] = 2.41 (95% CI: 2.31, 2.51). Patients with any DCA interactions are significantly associated with increased odds of attending an appointment, compared with those who had no DCA interactions, adjusting for other factors in the model [OR] = 2.31 (95% CI: 2.22, 2.34).