Study Reveals Impact of COVID-19 on the Provision of Oral Health Care

FAIR Health—a nonprofit organization focused on the study of healthcare and health insurance costs and utilization—released a new study, “Dental Services and the Impact of COVID-19: An Analysis of Private Claims,” that looks at the effects of COVID-19 on the provision and use of dental care services via the lens of dental insurance claims. Some interesting data points include:

• From June 2019 to June 2020, changes in dental service utilization varied greatly by age group. The youngest (22 and younger) and oldest (55 and older) age groups increased in utilization, while those in the middle (23-54) decreased.
• In March and April 2020, all states exhibited some decrease in dental service utilization compared to the corresponding months in 2019. The five largest decreases were in the Northeast and Midwest. The five smallest decreases were in the West in March and in the West and South in April.
• Problem-focused, limited oral evaluations (D0140) rose from 11th place in March and April 2019 to 5th place in March 2020 and 4th place in April 2020.
• During the pandemic, use of the unspecified preventive procedure, by report (D1999), increased dramatically because it was recommended to seek payment for the cost of additional personal protective equipment. It rose from number 366 in June 2019 to number 4 in June 2020.

Read more here.