Tooth decay is the most common disease among U.S. children, including children with chronic conditions. When untreated, tooth decay can lead to pain, infection, hospitalization, and in rare cases death. Children with chronic conditions are at increased risk for unmet dental care needs. While studies have examined the extent to which having a chronic condition affects use of office-based dental care, no studies have examined whether children with chronic conditions are greater risk for being hospitalized for non-traumatic dental conditions. In this talk, I will present findings from a study that examines U.S. pediatric inpatient hospitalization trends for non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) with the goal of identifying the role of complex chronic condition (CCCs) on the odds of being hospitalized for NTDCs.
Biography: Dr. Chi is an Assistant Professor of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Washington, School of Dentistry. He has adjunct appointments in the Departments of Pediatric Dentistry and Health Services. He received a DDS degree from the University of Washington in 2006 and completed dual residencies in Dental Public Health and Pediatric Dentistry and a PhD in health services research at the University of Iowa in 2009. His research program is funded by a K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award from the NIH and focuses on the determinants of access to dental care for Medicaid-enrolled children with chronic conditions. He is also interested in neighborhood-level health effects, including the relationship between social capital and oral health outcomes.
