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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Timothy L. Ricks, DMD, MPH¹, Bruce A. Dye, DDS, MPH², Lori J. Fredrickson, RDH, and Patrick Blahut, DDS, MPH⁴. (1) Schurz Service Unit Dental Program, Pyramid Lake Tribal Health Clinic, Indian Health Service, P.O. Box 227, 705 Highway 446, Nixon, NV 89424, 775-574-1018 ext. 224, tim.ricks@ihs.gov, (2) National Center for Health Statistics, CDC, Building:HYAT,Mail Stop:P08, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (3) Division of Oral Health, Indian Health Service, 801 Thompson Ave., Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852

The disparity in prevalence of untreated dental decay among 2-4 year-olds is more than 5 times greater in American Indian / Alaskan Natives compared to children in the U.S. general population. Some of this disparity has been attributed to reduced access to care due to provider shortages. The Indian Health Service (IHS) has measured provider productivity using a “service minute” (SM) approach. We described a process of estimating workforce needs using SMs and Relative Value Units (RVUs) for Native American Head Start children. We also ascertain the SMs, RVUs, and potential operating room needs to meet the treatment requirements of the children with the greatest unmet need. We analyzed data from 445 children enrolled in Head Start programs operated by the Pine Ridge and Rosebud tribal governments who participated in a 2004 IHS dental study. The examined children had a treatment need requiring 19,842 provider SMs or 2,989 RVUs. Children identified with severe Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC) required 90% of the estimated SM treatment need. Approximately 12% of the examined children, with 45% of the provider SM need, may require general anesthesia to receive dental care. It is estimated approximately 45,000 provider SMs are required to meet the treatment needs of all enrolled Pine Ridge and Rosebud Head Start children. These findings suggest that a 0.5 FTE dentist is required to meet the treatment needs for all Pine Ridge and Rosebud Head Start children. Moreover, reducing S-ECC in this population could significantly impact workforce requirements.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

• Learn a new approach in using examination data to estimate workforce needs
• Understand extent and severity of unmet dental needs in this Native American Head Start population
• Discuss implications for a workforce planning model using the “service minute” approach

Keywords: Oral Health Needs, Head Start

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered