Needs-Related preventive programs for children and adults

Content
Needs related programs always must be based on riskprediction. Therefore prevention has to be focused on "Key Risk" groups, - individuals, - teeth and - surfaces from cost/effectiveness point of view. A needs - related preventive program for children and young adults was introduced in the County of Värmland, Sweden and evaluated yearly in a computerated epidemiology system. During the first 20 years, the caries prevalence as well as incidence was reduced with more than 90%. Already in the year 2000 85% of the 12-year-olds were caries free and exhibited as an average only 0.3 DFS. In a 30 years needs-related study in adults, who were treated by a dental hygienist, the average number of lost teeth per subject per 30 years was only 0.4 and 0.7 in the 50-65 and 66-80 year olds. The periodontal attachment level was maintained during the 30 years irrespective of age and as an average the 50-80 year olds developed less than one new DS per 30 years. Based on the experiences from this ongoing study a needs related preventive program was introduced for all the adult populatiion and evaluted every 5 years in randomized samples o f 35-, 50- , 65- and 75 year olds. During the first 10 years the percentage of edentulous 50 and 65 year olds was reduced from 7%and17% to 4% and 7% respectively and the mean number of remaining teeth (3rd molars excl.) was encreased from 22.8 to 25.6 in the 65 year olds.