Do Social Determinants of Health Influence Receiving Timely Dental Surgery?

Abstract

Purpose: This study describes social determinants of health (SDOH) in a group of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) planned for dental surgery at a pediatric hospital and explored association between SDOH and receiving surgery in the recommended timeframe. Methods: SDOH were recorded for all patients planned for dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA) in 2019. Outcomes were 1) surgery completed in the recommended timeframe or 2) surgery not done within two years of planning. Results: Dental surgery plans were made for 390 CHSCN: 190 were completed in recommended timeframe and 119 were not completed within two years. The SDOH associated with completing/not completing surgery were guardianship/household, and documentation of social work involvement with the family. Patients receiving optimally timed surgery more frequently had: two parents/one household and/or an active social work plan on the record. Those not receiving surgery were more frequently: two parents/two households, single parents and/or without a social work plan. Need for interpreter, ethnicity, and payer were not associated with receiving timely surgery. Conclusions: SDOH have been shown to contribute to disparate health outcomes. In this group of CSCHN requiring hospital dental GA, guardianship and social work support impacted receiving dental surgery in an optimal timeframe vs not at all. The utilization of social work not only helps increase the chance of getting treatment completed, but also for the treatment to be completed in an optimal timeframe.