Centrix Highlights Caries ‘Prevention for Life’ in Purposeful Campaign
As the nation grapples with the COVID-19 crisis, the word “prevention” is top of mind for everyone in the healthcare profession, as we all do our part in preventing the spread of the virus. Of course, for dental healthcare professionals, prevention—as in caries prevention—has its own connotation. Everyone in the dental profession is looking forward to the day when they can get back to providing non-emergency, preventative dental treatment.
Coronavirus has given the entire nation pause. While this pause isn’t what anyone wanted, it does present a time for some “spring cleaning” (wordplay intended). The downtime from the day-to-day hustle presents an opportunity to rethink practice fundamentals, including preventive care.
Question: Why Does Preventive Care Stop at Age 18?
This is an interesting question recently posed by Centrix, a company that specializes in preventive care products and education. Preventive care is applied to patients aged 0 to 18, and recent ADA data shows a decreasing rate of caries for patients in the 0-18 age range1, as represented in the chart below.
Decreasing Rates of Caries Patients Ages 0-18
Good preventive care, that includes direct fluoride varnish treatment, has resulted in a decreasing rate of caries in kids.2 However, preventive care tends to stop around age 18, and the data shows an increase in the rates of caries ages 19 and up. Represented below are adults ages 19 to 64 (left) and ages 65+ (right).
So why does preventive care stop in adulthood? Part of it may be cost. For example, at one point, sealants were not reimbursed, but insurance companies changed their mind and are now covering this treatment. Centrix is hoping to do the same with fluoride varnish.
The other part may be awareness. Dental professionals need to advocate for patients to receive these treatments, and ideally patients should advocate for themselves.
According to Centrix, the problem of increasing adulthood caries speaks to the fact that we’re not treating patients based on an individual basis. The facts are a wake-up call:
•92% of U.S. adults have some form of dental decay.3
•The simple, most effective caries prevention tool is fluoride varnish.4
•Although caries is increasing in adults, only about 10 adult patients will receive fluoride varnish per month.5
This is why Centrix started a movement called “Prevention for Life.” It’s based on the premise that great preventive dentistry maintains great oral health throughout the patient’s lifetime. With the tagline “Combat Caries for All,” Prevention for Life is designed to help deliver improved oral health to every patient. It’s supported by specific informational tools that help a dental office profitably treat all patients, at every age, according to their needs and risk level, and not limited by their insurance reimbursement.
The Prevention for Life Movement answers its own call-to-action with a 4-part plan:
1. Patient self-assessment and CAMBRA (Caries Management By Risk Assessment)
2. Treatment with FluoroDose Fluoride Varnish from Centrix
3. Submitting codes and CAMBRA forms to insurance to show why treatment was provided
4. Scheduling recall intervals based on patient risk
After patient assessment, a simple, yet effective way to maintain oral health for all patients is through the routine application of Centrix FluoroDose. FluoroDose fluoride varnish contains 5% sodium fluoride, the maximum dosage allowed in a convenient, single-use package. Submit the CAMBRA risk assessment forms, which indicate adult caries risk, to insurance to show the patient threat as well as preventive treatment. Once you begin a fluoride varnish treatment plan, it’s important to continue scheduling your patients for follow-up and preventive treatment, according to ADA recommendations.6
Centrix also acknowledges the importance of “practice health” in delivering treatment modalities that are profitable. For most offices, FluoroDose costs less than $1 per treatment and only takes 1 extra minute to apply to adult patients. Fees for preventative care treatments that virtually every adult will accept can add hundreds of dollars a day in incremental practice profits. In one year, that can mean a 5-figure increase to current revenue. Use Centrix’s Practice Health Calculator to assess an optimal pricing approach that increases patient acceptance, patient health, and practice health.
Be sure to visit Centrix’s designated website www.cariesprevention.com for a link to download CAMBRA forms, as well as information on an in-office Lunch & Learn and On-Demand CE Courses. There’s also a link to an e-book, “First Tooth to a Lifetime of Smiles” written by hygienists who address important topics, such as:
•Treating an infant’s first tooth with fluoride varnish
•Care for primary teeth through prevention
•Maintaining oral health during orthodontic treatment
•Nutrition and oral health
•Oral health care for adults of various ages
Download the E-Book
Sources
1. https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science%20and%20Research/Files/HPIgraphic_0916_3.pdf?la=en
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5504868/
3. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics/dental-caries/adults
4. https://ebd.ada.org/en/evidence/guidelines/topical-fluoride?_ga=2.71272851.260867461.1584974459-514480790.1584375062
5. https://sikkablog.com/compare-your-stats-for-adult-fluoride-treatment-with-other-dental-practices-by-kevin-henry/
6. https://www.ada.org/en/~/media/EBD/Files/JADA_updated_executive_summary_Nov_2013