Association between Participation in the Short Version of a Workplace Oral Health Promotion Program and Medical and Dental Care Expenditures in Japanese Workers: A Longitudinal Study.

Yuki Mochida,Tatsuo Yamamoto,Shinya Fuchida

doi:10.3390/ijerph19053143

Abstract

Studies suggest that intensive oral health promotion programs in the workplace reduce dental and medical care expenditures. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the short version of an oral health promotion program in the workplace from the viewpoint of dental and medical care expenditures. Data for annual expenditures and number of days of dental, periodontal, and medical treatment in fiscal year 2018 and participation in the short version of a workplace oral health promotion program of 2545 workers (20–68 years old) in a company in fiscal year 2017 and prior were obtained. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models or negative binomial regression models were used to evaluate the association between participation in the program and expenditures or number of days of treatment after adjusting for sex and age. Program participants were more likely than non-participants to visit dentists for dental and periodontal treatment. Those who participated twice or more spent less on dental, periodontal, and medical treatment and had fewer visits to dentists than non-participants. These results suggest that the short version of an oral health promotion program in the workplace decreases expenditures for dental, periodontal, and medical treatment.

Highlights

Oral health promotion programs including oral health examinations and oral health instruction for children are well implemented by municipalities because programs for 1.5- and 3-year-olds and schoolchildren are mandatory in Japan
Subjects included in the analyses were a total of 2545 workers
Subjects included in the analyses were a total of 2545 workers (1059 males and 1486 fefemales; age 20–68 years, mean age 40.8 years, standard deviation 9.1 years) after excludmales; age 20–68 years, mean age 40.8 years, standard deviation 9.1 years) after excluding ing subjects didconsent not consent this study, 188 subjects who not have health twotwo subjects whowho did not to thistostudy, 188 subjects who did notdid have health insurance in fiscal year

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The oral health status of Japanese children, especially the prevalence of dental caries, has improved over the last two decades; there has been insufficient improvement in the oral health status of adults [1]. The prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease in middle-aged individuals has not changed in recent years [2]. Oral health promotion programs including oral health examinations and oral health instruction for children are well implemented by municipalities because programs for 1.5- and 3-year-olds and schoolchildren are mandatory in Japan. Oral health promotion programs are not compulsory for adults. Less than two-thirds of the municipalities in Japan have programs focused mainly on periodontal examination, and participation rates are lower than 5% [3]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion