322 - Cost of Treating New Surface Decay vs. Additional Recare Visits

Purpose: To evaluate patients with new surface lesions whom previously had treatment performed under general anesthesia (GA) thus placing them in a category of high caries risk. This study will compare the average cost of subsequent treatments to the cost of the current recommendation of two additional hygiene appointments.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of pediatric patients evaluated 12 months or more after the initial GA appointment. The average cost of subsequent treatment of new surface lesions per year will be compared to the cost of two additional recall visits per year. This study reviewed charts of pediatric patients between 18 – 96 months with treatment completed between 2018-2020 under oral conscious sedation (OCS) and GA.

Results: Eighty-three pediatric patients met the criteria. Twenty-one patients (25.30%) were caries free for at least 12 months after their initial GA appointment. Sixty-two patients (74.70%) had new lesions after their initial GA appointment that were restored in subsequent operative appointments. Of the patients that required new treatment, 38 patients (45.78%) required GA.

The cost for two additional recall visits per year is $270 compared to the average cost of new treatment per year is $737.96. This is $467.96 more spent per patient per year on average which could have potentially been avoided by additional preventative visits.

Conclusions: Two additional hygiene visits after treatment under GA has the potential to save $467.96 per patient per year if no subsequent therapy is required because of appropriate follow up.