156 - Caries Prevalence in Rural Patient Population with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of caries in patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as compared to a control group of neurodevelopmentally typical individuals.

Methods: Retrospective data of both population sets, ages 3 to 20 years old seen at the dental clinic at the Geisinger health system, was collected via electronic health records (EHR) and radiographs. The study sample included a total of 120 patients with ASD and 35 neurodevelopmentally typical individuals, residing in rural Pennsylvania.  

Using the Caries-risk Assessment Tool (CAT), developed by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, caries associations such as oral hygiene habits, plaque scores, and diet were recorded in the data set for comparative analysis. Caries experience of the population was measured using Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) score for permanent teeth and decayed or filled score for primary teeth (dmft). 

Results: The results of this study are pending. Statistical analysis will include a multivariate analysis of caries incidence, as defined by DMFT and dmft scores, and a comparison of caries risk factors.