105 - Insurance claim data trends in pulp therapy for pediatric patients

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in utilization trends for two specific pulp therapy treatments for pediatric patients during an 11-year period from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020.

Methods: Insurance data claims for children 2-12 years of age with a pulpotomy or pulpectomy performed by general dentist (GD) or pediatric dentists (PD) between 2010 and 2020 were extracted by P&R Dental Solutions, LLC, a dental data warehouse. The state where the provider was located was included in the extracted claim.

Results: The rates of receiving a pulpotomy or pulpectomy procedure trended down from 2010 to 2020 (OR=0.97, 0.95, p<.001,). PDs were more likely to perform pulpotomy procedures than GDs (OR= 1.39, p<.001), but PDs were less likely to perform a pulpectomy procedure than GDs (OR= 0.23, p<.001). Younger patient age was a significant predictor for pulpotomy treatment for both GDs and PDs (OR= 0.85, 0.89, both P<.001). With increasing patient age, PDs had increased odds of performing a pulpectomy (OR=1.03, p<.001), while GDs had decreased odds (OR= 0.995, p = 0.04). When examining effects by AAPD national membership districts, trends remained consistent with the above.

Conclusion: The rates of pulpotomy and pulpectomy therapy trended down from 2010-2020 amongst both GDs and PDs.

Implications: These changes in pulp therapy practice might indicate a response to changing research and clinical guidelines on pulpal therapy suggesting that less invasive pulp therapy is just as successful, if not more so, than either pulpotomies or pulpectomies.