Faculty Collaboration Database

Impact of Wisconsin Medicaid Policy Change on Dental Sealant Utilization. Health Serv Res 2018 Feb;53(1):312-325

Date

12/14/2016

Pubmed ID

27957734

Pubmed Central ID

PMC5785323

DOI

10.1111/1475-6773.12627

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85040993428 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   3 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In September 2006, Wisconsin Medicaid changed its policy to allow nondentists to become certified Medicaid providers and to bill for sealants in public health settings.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined changes in patterns of dental sealant utilization in first molars of Wisconsin Medicaid enrollees associated with a policy change.

DATA SOURCE: The Electronic Data Systems of Medicaid Evaluation and Decision Support for Wisconsin from 2001 to 2009.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective claims data analysis of Wisconsin Dental Medicaid for children aged 6-16 years.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 479,847 children followed up for 1,441,300 person-years with 64,546 visits were analyzed. The rate of visits for sealants by dentists increased significantly from 3 percent per year prepolicy to 11 percent per year postpolicy, and that of nondentists increased from 18 percent per year to 20 percent after the policy change, but this was not significant. Non-Hispanic blacks had the lowest visit rates for sealant application by dentists and nondentists pre- and postpolicy periods.

CONCLUSIONS: The Wisconsin Medicaid policy change was associated with increased rates of visits for dental sealant placement by dentists. The rate of visits with sealant placements by nondentists increased at the same rate pre- and postpolicy change.

Author List

Okunseri C, Okunseri E, Garcia RI, Gonzalez C, Visotcky A, Szabo A

Authors

Christopher Okunseri DDS,MS Associate Professor and Director in the Clinical Services department at Marquette University
Aniko Szabo PhD Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Alexis M. Visotcky Biostatistician III in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Child
Dentists
Female
Health Services Accessibility
Health Services Research
Humans
Insurance Claim Review
Male
Medicaid
Pit and Fissure Sealants
Public Health Practice
Retrospective Studies
United States
Wisconsin