Data on Patient Use of Restorative Therapy Are Released

The American Dental Association Health Policy Institute (ADA HPI) recently published a data brief on trends in restorative care. The article, “Demand for Restorative Dental Care Varies by Patient Age,” investigates when restorative therapy is most utilized throughout a patient’s lifespan. Culled from patient records spanning from 2005 to 2017, authors found that restorative care is most frequently indicated among those ages 11 to 12 and 50 to 52. Patients in their 20s and 30s were the least likely to receive restorative therapy. The authors are not sure why the use of restorative care declined in older adults, although they suspect cost and success of preventive treatment may be factors. The ADA HPI encourages oral health professionals, policymakers, and insurance decision makers to use these data to custom design effective treatment plans and insurance policies based on patient age. Click here to read more.