IADR Abstract Archives
Peruvians' Unmet Dental Care Needs by COVID-19: a Life-Course Approach
Objectives: COVID-19 impact on global dental care is undeniable. Its repercussions in Peru remain unexamined. This study categorized and predicted the burden of unmet dental care needs (UDCN) and trends in dental care appointments due to COVID-19 within the scope of the Integral Health Insurance of the Peruvian state (SIS, Spanish acronym), adopting a life-course approach.
Methods: Interrupted time series analysis was conducted using the SIS dataset from the National Open Data Platform (January 2017 to June 2022). The outcome was the number of dental care appointments before and after the COVID-19 attack, according to three categories: minimally invasive procedures (MIP), invasive procedures (IP), and tooth extraction (TE). Predictions of UDCN and trends evaluations by categories and by life stages (0-4, 5-11, 12-17, 18-29, 30-59, ≥60y) were performed.
Results: It was estimated 7,666,032 cases of UDCN (MIP=4,217,503; IP=2,905,669; TE=542,860). The most affected age groups were 5-11y (2,468,971) and 30-59y (1,463,425). UDCN regarding MIP were found most frequently in the 5-11y age group (1,640,550); regarding IP, in the 30-59y (790,719) and 5-11y (648,980) age groups; and regarding TE, in the 5-11y (179,441) and 30-59y (155,374) age groups. Following the COVID-19 state of emergency, dental care appointments increased consistently and notably in all life stages (Figures 1 and 2). However, two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the anticipated number of dental care appointments has not yet been fully reached.
Conclusions: COVID-19 has generated an alarming amount of UDCN in all life stages in Peru, especially in the 5-11y age group and for MIP. Consequences will transcend general health and well-being, and the country's health system and economy, increasing the burden of noncommunicable diseases. Peru is the country with the highest number of DALYs due to oral diseases worldwide since 1990, and considering these findings this is not expected to change soon.
Methods: Interrupted time series analysis was conducted using the SIS dataset from the National Open Data Platform (January 2017 to June 2022). The outcome was the number of dental care appointments before and after the COVID-19 attack, according to three categories: minimally invasive procedures (MIP), invasive procedures (IP), and tooth extraction (TE). Predictions of UDCN and trends evaluations by categories and by life stages (0-4, 5-11, 12-17, 18-29, 30-59, ≥60y) were performed.
Results: It was estimated 7,666,032 cases of UDCN (MIP=4,217,503; IP=2,905,669; TE=542,860). The most affected age groups were 5-11y (2,468,971) and 30-59y (1,463,425). UDCN regarding MIP were found most frequently in the 5-11y age group (1,640,550); regarding IP, in the 30-59y (790,719) and 5-11y (648,980) age groups; and regarding TE, in the 5-11y (179,441) and 30-59y (155,374) age groups. Following the COVID-19 state of emergency, dental care appointments increased consistently and notably in all life stages (Figures 1 and 2). However, two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the anticipated number of dental care appointments has not yet been fully reached.
Conclusions: COVID-19 has generated an alarming amount of UDCN in all life stages in Peru, especially in the 5-11y age group and for MIP. Consequences will transcend general health and well-being, and the country's health system and economy, increasing the burden of noncommunicable diseases. Peru is the country with the highest number of DALYs due to oral diseases worldwide since 1990, and considering these findings this is not expected to change soon.
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