The prevalence of questionable occlusal caries: findings from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network

Sonia K Makhija; Gregg H Gilbert; Ellen Funkhouser; James D Bader; Valeria V Gordan; D Brad Rindal; Michael Bauer; Daniel J Pihlstrom; Vibeke Qvist; National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group

The prevalence of questionable occlusal caries: findings from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network

Sonia K Makhija, Gregg H Gilbert, Ellen Funkhouser, James D Bader, Valeria V Gordan, D Brad Rindal, Michael Bauer, Daniel J Pihlstrom, Vibeke Qvist, National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group

Section 05 - Community Dentistry

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Questionable occlusal caries (QOC) can be defined as clinically suspected caries with no cavitation or radiographic evidence of occlusal caries. To the authors' knowledge, no one has quantified the prevalence of QOC, so this quantification was the authors' objective in conducting this study. Methods: A total of 82 dentist and hygienist practitioner-investigators (P-Is) from the United States and Denmark in The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) participated. When patients seeking treatment had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, P-Is quantified their number of unrestored occlusal surfaces and instances of QOC, if applicable. P-Is also recorded information about characteristics of patients who had QOC and had provided informed consent. The authors adjusted for patient clustering within practices. Results: Overall, 6,910 patients had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, with a total of 50,445 unrestored surfaces. Thirty-four percent of all patients and 11 percent of unrestored occlusal tooth surfaces among all patients had QOC. Patient- and surface-level QOC prevalences varied significantly according to DPBRN region (P <.001 and P =.03, respectively). The highest percentages for patient- and surface-level prevalence occurred in Florida and Georgia (42 percent and 16 percent, respectively). Conclusions: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study in which investigators have quantified the prevalence of QOC in routine clinical practice. These results document a high prevalence overall, with wide variation in prevalence among The DPBRN's five main regions. Clinical Implications: QOC is common in routine practice and warrants further investigation regarding how best to manage it.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of the American Dental Association (1939)
Volume	143
Issue number	12
Pages (from-to)	1343-50
Number of pages	8
Publication status	Published - Dec 2012

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Makhija, S. K., Gilbert, G. H., Funkhouser, E., Bader, J. D., Gordan, V. V., Rindal, D. B., Bauer, M., Pihlstrom, D. J., Qvist, V., & National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group (2012). The prevalence of questionable occlusal caries: findings from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network. Journal of the American Dental Association (1939), 143(12), 1343-50.

Makhija, SK, Gilbert, GH, Funkhouser, E, Bader, JD, Gordan, VV, Rindal, DB, Bauer, M, Pihlstrom, DJ, Qvist, V & National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group 2012, 'The prevalence of questionable occlusal caries: findings from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network', Journal of the American Dental Association (1939), vol. 143, no. 12, pp. 1343-50.

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title = "The prevalence of questionable occlusal caries: findings from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network",

abstract = "Background: Questionable occlusal caries (QOC) can be defined as clinically suspected caries with no cavitation or radiographic evidence of occlusal caries. To the authors' knowledge, no one has quantified the prevalence of QOC, so this quantification was the authors' objective in conducting this study. Methods: A total of 82 dentist and hygienist practitioner-investigators (P-Is) from the United States and Denmark in The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) participated. When patients seeking treatment had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, P-Is quantified their number of unrestored occlusal surfaces and instances of QOC, if applicable. P-Is also recorded information about characteristics of patients who had QOC and had provided informed consent. The authors adjusted for patient clustering within practices. Results: Overall, 6,910 patients had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, with a total of 50,445 unrestored surfaces. Thirty-four percent of all patients and 11 percent of unrestored occlusal tooth surfaces among all patients had QOC. Patient- and surface-level QOC prevalences varied significantly according to DPBRN region (P <.001 and P =.03, respectively). The highest percentages for patient- and surface-level prevalence occurred in Florida and Georgia (42 percent and 16 percent, respectively). Conclusions: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study in which investigators have quantified the prevalence of QOC in routine clinical practice. These results document a high prevalence overall, with wide variation in prevalence among The DPBRN's five main regions. Clinical Implications: QOC is common in routine practice and warrants further investigation regarding how best to manage it.",

author = "Makhija, {Sonia K} and Gilbert, {Gregg H} and Ellen Funkhouser and Bader, {James D} and Gordan, {Valeria V} and Rindal, {D Brad} and Michael Bauer and Pihlstrom, {Daniel J} and Vibeke Qvist and {National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group}",

year = "2012",

month = dec,

language = "English",

volume = "143",

pages = "1343--50",

journal = "Journal of the American Dental Association",

issn = "0002-8177",

publisher = "The American Dental Association",

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T1 - The prevalence of questionable occlusal caries

T2 - findings from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network

AU - Makhija, Sonia K

AU - Gilbert, Gregg H

AU - Funkhouser, Ellen

AU - Bader, James D

AU - Gordan, Valeria V

AU - Rindal, D Brad

AU - Bauer, Michael

AU - Pihlstrom, Daniel J

AU - Qvist, Vibeke

AU - National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Collaborative Group

PY - 2012/12

Y1 - 2012/12

N2 - Background: Questionable occlusal caries (QOC) can be defined as clinically suspected caries with no cavitation or radiographic evidence of occlusal caries. To the authors' knowledge, no one has quantified the prevalence of QOC, so this quantification was the authors' objective in conducting this study. Methods: A total of 82 dentist and hygienist practitioner-investigators (P-Is) from the United States and Denmark in The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) participated. When patients seeking treatment had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, P-Is quantified their number of unrestored occlusal surfaces and instances of QOC, if applicable. P-Is also recorded information about characteristics of patients who had QOC and had provided informed consent. The authors adjusted for patient clustering within practices. Results: Overall, 6,910 patients had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, with a total of 50,445 unrestored surfaces. Thirty-four percent of all patients and 11 percent of unrestored occlusal tooth surfaces among all patients had QOC. Patient- and surface-level QOC prevalences varied significantly according to DPBRN region (P <.001 and P =.03, respectively). The highest percentages for patient- and surface-level prevalence occurred in Florida and Georgia (42 percent and 16 percent, respectively). Conclusions: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study in which investigators have quantified the prevalence of QOC in routine clinical practice. These results document a high prevalence overall, with wide variation in prevalence among The DPBRN's five main regions. Clinical Implications: QOC is common in routine practice and warrants further investigation regarding how best to manage it.

AB - Background: Questionable occlusal caries (QOC) can be defined as clinically suspected caries with no cavitation or radiographic evidence of occlusal caries. To the authors' knowledge, no one has quantified the prevalence of QOC, so this quantification was the authors' objective in conducting this study. Methods: A total of 82 dentist and hygienist practitioner-investigators (P-Is) from the United States and Denmark in The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) participated. When patients seeking treatment had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, P-Is quantified their number of unrestored occlusal surfaces and instances of QOC, if applicable. P-Is also recorded information about characteristics of patients who had QOC and had provided informed consent. The authors adjusted for patient clustering within practices. Results: Overall, 6,910 patients had at least one unrestored occlusal surface, with a total of 50,445 unrestored surfaces. Thirty-four percent of all patients and 11 percent of unrestored occlusal tooth surfaces among all patients had QOC. Patient- and surface-level QOC prevalences varied significantly according to DPBRN region (P <.001 and P =.03, respectively). The highest percentages for patient- and surface-level prevalence occurred in Florida and Georgia (42 percent and 16 percent, respectively). Conclusions: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study in which investigators have quantified the prevalence of QOC in routine clinical practice. These results document a high prevalence overall, with wide variation in prevalence among The DPBRN's five main regions. Clinical Implications: QOC is common in routine practice and warrants further investigation regarding how best to manage it.

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23204090

SN - 0002-8177

VL - 143

SP - 1343

EP - 1350

JO - Journal of the American Dental Association

JF - Journal of the American Dental Association

IS - 12

ER -

The prevalence of questionable occlusal caries: findings from the Dental Practice-Based Research Network

Abstract

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