Antenatal and intrapartum risk factors for use of emergency and restorative medicaid dental services for children

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between antenatal/intrapartum factors and Medicaid use. Methods: Three databases were used: (1) birth records; (2) Medicaid files; and (3) Medicaid dental claims. Results: Children of Caucasian mothers were 34 percent more likely to have more than one restorative claim versus children of African American mothers (odds ratio [OR] equals 134, 95 percent confidence interval [95% CI] equals 1.10 to 1.65, P<.005). Children born with low birth weight were 37 percent more likely to have emergency claims (OR equals 137, 95% CI equals 1.02 to 1.83, P=.03). The adjusted analysis found that Caucasian mothers had higher odds ratio of having a dental claim than African American mothers (P<.001): 33 percent for a restorative claim and 56 percent for an emergency claim. When race was analyzed, the odds of a restorative claim among African American mothers were 2.5 times higher in children delivered by C-section versus those vaginally delivered (OR equals 2.52, 95% CI equals 1.02-6.2, P<.001). Conclusions: This study found: an association between children of Caucasian mothers and the likelihood of experiencing claims; and a relationship between children born with low birth weight and C-section and the likelihood of use of Medicaid services.