Evaluation of oral health promotion in the workplace the effects on dentalcare costs and frequency of dental visits

An oral health promotion program has been conducted since 1989 at a shipyar d in Japan. Aims: The purpose of the present study was to assess the impact of oral health promotion in the workplace in terms of dental care costs an d frequency of dental visits. Methods: This program consisted of orientatio n, an initial regimen, and group counseling. The initial regimen included a n evaluation of each participant's oral health status, and instruction conc erning oral hygiene, and prevention of oral disease. The participants were selected with each unit being a preexisting peer group. Eighty-seven partic ipants were compared with 216 control subjects in terms of annual dental ca re costs and frequency of dental visits in four periods: the 1-year period before the program, the 1st year after the program, the 2nd year after, and the 3rd year after. Results: The annual mean dental care cost in the parti cipant group for the year prior to the program was higher than that in the control group (21 317 vs. 17 116 yen). In the 1st year after the program, t he difference increased (26 642 vs. 19 481 yen). In the 2nd and 3rd years a fter the program, dental care costs in the participant group were lower tha n those in the control group (2nd year: 18 305 vs. 22 841 yen, 3rd year: 16 911 vs. 21 920 yen). Conclusions: It can be concluded that this oral healt h promotion program in the workplace contributed to saving of costs associa ted with dental care. The work place can be regarded as a key area for impl ementation of an oral health care system to make good use of limited resour ces.