Using electronic dental records to establish a surveillance system for dental decay in rural Western Alaska

Abstract Objectives Previous surveys have demonstrated high rates of early childhood caries (ECC) in the Alaska Native (AN) population of western Alaska. There are many challenges to providing dental care in this road‐less Yukon‐Kuskokwim Delta region. The regional Tribal Health Organization impleme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Public Health Dentistry
Main Authors: Thomas, Timothy K, Lenaker, Dane, Day, Gretchen M, Wilson, Jennifer C, Holck, Peter, Newman, Jonathan, Bruden, Dana, Hennessy, Thomas W
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020
Subjects:
Kuskokwim
Alaska
Yukon
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jphd.12435
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jphd.12435
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/jphd.12435
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Summary:Abstract Objectives Previous surveys have demonstrated high rates of early childhood caries (ECC) in the Alaska Native (AN) population of western Alaska. There are many challenges to providing dental care in this road‐less Yukon‐Kuskokwim Delta region. The regional Tribal Health Organization implemented an electronic dental record (EDR) system in the late 1990s. We explored use of the EDR to establish an oral health surveillance system in children. Methods We contracted with EDR software developers to implement calculation of a summary count of decayed (d), missing (m) or filled (f) primary (dmft) score for each individual. We calculated the yearly average dmft scores for 2011–2019 for children aged 3 and 5 years with a comprehensive exam in a given year. We also assessed the number of children undergoing full mouth dental rehabilitation (FMDR). We used US census data population estimates for these age groups to calculate rates. Results Over the 9‐year period, 2,427 3‐year‐old children (47 percent of all 3‐year olds over this period), received a comprehensive exam; increasing from 24 percent in 2011 to 62 percent in 2019. Their average dmft score over the 9‐years was 6.4 with a significant annual decline over this period. Seventy percent of AN children who turned 6 between 2015 and 2019 had received at least one FMDR. Conclusions An oral health surveillance system has been established in western Alaska using the Electronic Dental Record. High rates of ECC and FMDR were observed. This surveillance system will allow assessments of ECC prevalence and impact of dental interventions.

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