Twelve years of the Infant Oral Care Program (PADI) in Navarra (1991-2002). Utilisation and health indicators

Abstract

Background. In 1991, with an incremental character, the Infant Oral Care Program (PADI) was set up in Navarra, which covers the population of 6 to 15 years of age, and which has a mixed provision, public and private-arranged, the latter with a payment system by capitation. The aim of this article is to analyse the possible impact of the program on the use of services and to analyse the evolution of the dental health of Navarra schoolchildren in the 1991-2002 period. Materials and methods. Data was collected on the network of providers and the utilisation of the PADI made available by the Directorate of Primary Care of the Navarra Health Service – Osasunbidea, and data was analysed from the surveys of dental health for 1987, 1997 and 2002, whose methodology has been published. The data was exploited statistically with the SPSS program for Windows, v10. Results. The number of dentists-providers of the program increased from 28 in 1991 to 161 in 2002; in the same period the indexes of participation rose from 37.4 to 67.2%. There is a positive, statistically significant correlation between the growth of the network (r: 0.941) and its geographical extension (r: 0.933), and the index of utilisation. The percentage of schoolchildren aged 14 years who state that they have been to the dentists in the last year rises from 55.1% in 1987 to 88.2% in 2002. More than 70% of the schoolchildren between 6 and 12 years of age state that they have been to a PADI dentist. The prevalence of caries continues to fall in all age groups and becomes stabilised at 14 years. Between 44 and 79.2% of the caries are treated. The schoolchildren who regularly visit the PADI show more preventive and restorative treatment (sealed) than those who do not. Conclusion. The setting up of the PADI seems to have brought an increase in the utilisation of the dental services, together with an improvement in the dental health of the infant and adolescent population of Navarra.