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Biomedical subjects

D Grembowski

Publications and source records attributed to D Grembowski.

40 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Increasing access to dental care for medicaid preschool children: the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program.

OBJECTIVE: Washington State's Access to Baby and Child Dent stry (ABCD) Program, first implemented in Spokane County in 1995, offers extended dental benefits to participating Medicaid-enrolled children and higher fees for certified providers. This study aimed to determine the program's effect on children's dental utilization and dental fear, and on parent satisfaction and knowledge. METHODS: The study used a posttest-only comparison group design. Trained interviewers conducted telephone interviews with 465 parents of chi dren ages 13 to 36 months (49% ABCD, 51% Medicaid-enrolled children not in ABCD). One year later, 282 of 465 parents completed a follow-up survey. Utilization and expenditures were calculated from Medicaid claims. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of children in the ABCD Program visited a dentist in the follow-up year, compared with 12% of Medicaid-enrolled children not in the ABCD Program. An ABCD child was 5.3 times as likely to have had at least one dental visit as a child not in the program. ABCD children were 4 to 13 times as likely to have used specific dental services. Parents of ABCD children were more likely to report having ever tried to make a dental appointment, less likely to report that their children were fearful of the dentist, and were more satisfied, compared to parents of non-ABCD children. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that the ABCD Program was effective in increasing access for preschool children enrolled in Medicaid, reducing dental fear, and increasing parent satisfaction.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dentist participation in a public-private partnership to increase Medicaid participation and access for children from low income families.

The purpose of this research is to solicit feedback from dental society members involved in a program (Access to Baby and Child Dentistry, ABCD) to provide care for children receiving Medicaid benefits, and to gain an understanding of dentist participation. We investigated whether general dentists who were participants in ABCD were more fully integrated into the dental society profession and community, and whether they demonstrated greater interest in children. Dentists were stratified regarding ABCD participation and randomly selected to be interviewed (N = 40). The majority thought it appropriate for general dentists to care for very young children. Participants found fewer problems in fee levels in Medicaid, but there was no difference in an index of fees between the groups. Participants were no more active in the dental society, and few differences existed between the groups regarding other aspects of personal or professional life. Dentists participating in ABCD to improve access had a good experience and have positive views of the program. This may encourage other nonspecialist colleagues to participate in programs for children.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors influencing whether low-income mothers have a usual source of dental care.

Mothers are both the source of dental caries and the managers of children's use of dental care. This is particularly important for the low-income population. The objective of this research was to explore predictors of having a usual source of dental care among low-income women. Eight-hundred-ten mothers (82 percent white, mean age twenty-seven years), drawn from among participants in an ABCD program in one Washington State County completed a study questionnaire. The study examined predisposing, enabling and illness level variables in relation to whether the mother reported a usual source of dental care for herself. Fifty-two percent of the subjects gave positive answers to the dependent variable Do you now have a dentist you can go to if you have a problem? The analysis suggests that mothers that report good oral health and believe in care for their children are five times as likely to have a usual source of care for themselves than mothers who report both poor oral health and more negative attitudes about dental care for children. The results suggest that interventions aimed at child health that ignore the welfare of the mother are likely to be less successful than those that also address the mothers' needs.

Adult↗