A Longitudinal Study of DoD Dental Readiness Classification of 1994 DoD Recruits

1
A Longitudinal Study of DoD Dental Readiness
Classification of 1994 DoD Recruits

• Col (Sel) Gary Chad Martin, USAF, DC
• CAPT Andrew K. York, DC, USN
• LTC David L. Moss, DC, USA
• TSgt Tracy Put, USAF
• Tri-Service Center for Oral Health Studies
• Uniformed Services University of the Health
  Sciences

2
Background

• 1994 Tri-Service Comprehensive Oral Health Survey
  of Recruits
• Random sample of 2,711 recruits
• Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps
• Represents 101,072 recruits for first half of
  1994
• Findings reported in June 1995 NDRI Report No.
  PR-9502

3
Dental Readiness Classification

• Class 1- (Oral Health) Patients with current
  exam, no treatment or reevaluation required
• Worldwide deployable
• Class 2- Patients with current exam, require
  non-urgent dental treatment or reevaluation for
  conditions which are unlikely to result in dental
  emergencies within 12 months
• Worldwide deployable
• Class 3- Patients with conditions that if not
  treated are expected to result in dental
  emergencies within 12 months -Not worldwide
  deployable
• Class 4- Patients who require dental exam or have
  unknown dental class -Not worldwide deployable

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Objectives

• The purpose of this longitudinal study was to
  determine the changes in dental readiness class
  of the 1994 recruits over a four-year period of
  time
• Almost half of the recruits began their military
  service in dental class 3
• Class 1 0.7
• Class 2 50.2
• Class 3 49.1

5
Methods

• In 1998 the dental records of 1,331 of the
  original 2,711 recruits were located
• Dental officers from TSCOHS extracted information
  from the records
• A retrospective study of these individuals oral
  health status from1994-98 was conducted
• Statistical analyses performed using SPSS 10.0

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Sample Demographics
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Sample Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs
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Mean Months of Observation(among recruits who
served more than 12 months)
9
Percentage of 1994 Recruits Who Achieved Class 1
Status During Their First 4 Years of Military
Service
92.3
86.7
66.6
64.0
63.4
59.3
58.4
53.8
52.6
41.7
Excluding recruits who served less than 12
months
10
Percentage of 1994 Class 2 and Class 3 Recruits
Who Achieved Class 1 Status During Their First 4
Years of Military Service
95.8
90.2
91.0
81.0
71.9
71.8
69.0
67.2
64.1
63.9
61.4
60.6
56.3
53.4
44.8
51.1
49.8
46.4
42.5
28.0
Excluding recruits who served less than 12
months
11
Mean Number of Months Before Becoming Class
1(among recruits who became class 1 at some
point)
12
Mean Number of Months Recruits Remained Class
1 (After First Incident of Becoming Class 1)
13
Percentage of Time Spent in Each Dental
Classification (mean months in each class/mean
months of observation)
Excluding recruits who served less than 12
months
14
Recruit Class 1 Conversion Percentages(among
those who became class 1 at some point)
Excluding recruits with less than 13 months
of observation after becoming Class 1 Class 1
recruits examined and found to need only a dental
cleaning remained Class 1
15
Recruit Class 1 Conversion Percentages(among
those who became class 1 at some point)
Excluding recruits with less than 13 months
of observation after becoming Class 1 Class 1
recruits examined and found to need only a dental
cleaning remained Class 1
16
Recruit Class 1 Conversion Percentages(among
those who became class 1 at some point)
Excluding recruits with less than 13 months
of observation after becoming Class 1 Class 1
recruits examined and found to need only a dental
cleaning remained Class 1