This is a competing renewal application for a prospective study of oral health and dental care called the Florida Dental Care Study (FDCS). The FDCS sample is diverse, including many subjects at increased risk for oral health disparities (e.g., Blacks, persons of low socioeconomic status (SES), irregular dental attenders). So far, we have tested important hypotheses about the relationship between dental disease measured clinically, self-reported dimensions of oral health, health-related quality of life, and use of dental care. The FDCS has been highly productive, with many novel findings, and logistically successful (e.g., low attrition). However, despite 40 journal articles/manuscripts so far, an historical opportunity exists to capitalize on a unique database that is unprecedented in adult oral health disparities research, oral epidemiology, and dental health services research. As a result of our proposed new focus in this application on health disparities, we expect that many of the yet-to-be-analyzed findings will ultimately be judged to be among the most important from the study. Therefore, having recently completed 72 months of data collection, we request funding for two final years focused on oral health disparities. Building upon knowledge gained so far, we now refine and extend our aims to test five key hypotheses about the incidence and chronicity of oral health disparities, as well as the role that incidence of specific dental services plays in oral health disparities. """"""""Disparity"""""""" will be defined as an oral health decrement whose incidence or chronicity is significantly higher in the high-risk groups of interest (Blacks, lower SES persons, and irregular attenders). This research will quantify what benefits, or lack thereof, groups at risk for oral health disparities perceive as being derived from their use of dental care, and how this perception affects their use of it. This research is the first study ever to use a certain innovative approach (directly links clinical exam data, self reported dimensions of oral health, use of specific dental services, and diverse patient characteristics) to yield new evidence about incidence and chronicity of oral health disparities in adults, which high-risk sub-groups are at a substantially increased risk (sub-groups defined by potentially modifiable characteristics), why high-risk groups use dental care, and the role that incident dental care plays in health disparities.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01DE011020-11S1
Application #
6768432
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Bryant, Patricia S
Project Start
1995-03-01
Project End
2004-05-31
Budget Start
2003-06-01
Budget End
2004-05-30
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$60,754
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Alabama Birmingham
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
063690705
City
Birmingham
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35294
Boykin, Michael J; Gilbert, Gregg H; Tilashalski, Ken R et al. (2009) Racial differences in baseline treatment preference as predictors of receiving a dental extraction versus root canal therapy during 48 months of follow-up. J Public Health Dent 69:41-7
Meng, Xiaoxian; Gilbert, Gregg H; Litaker, Mark S (2008) Dynamics of satisfaction with dental appearance among dentate adults: 24-month incidence. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 36:370-81
Gilbert, Gregg H; Bader, James D; Litaker, Mark S et al. (2008) Patient-level and practice-level characteristics associated with receipt of preventive dental services: 48-month incidence. J Public Health Dent 68:209-17
Gilbert, Gregg H; Litaker, Mark S; Makhija, Sonia K (2007) Differences in quality between dental practices associated with race and income mix of patients. J Health Care Poor Underserved 18:847-67
Meng, X; Gilbert, G H (2007) Predictors of change in satisfaction with chewing ability: a 24-month study of dentate adults. J Oral Rehabil 34:745-58
Xiaoxian Meng; Gilbert, Gregg H; Duncan, R Paul et al. (2007) Satisfaction with dental appearance among diverse groups of dentate adults. J Aging Health 19:778-91
Tilashalski, Ken R; Gilbert, Gregg H; Boykin, Michael J et al. (2007) Racial differences in treatment preferences: oral health as an example. J Eval Clin Pract 13:102-8
Gilbert, Gregg H; Litaker, Mark S (2007) Validity of self-reported periodontal status in the Florida dental care study. J Periodontol 78:1429-38
Riley 3rd, Joseph L; Gilbert, Gregg H; Heft, Marc W (2006) Dental attitudes: proximal basis for oral health disparities in adults. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 34:289-98
Gilbert, Gregg H; Weems, Richard A; Litaker, Mark S et al. (2006) Practice characteristics associated with patient-specific receipt of dental diagnostic radiographs. Health Serv Res 41:1915-37

Showing the most recent 10 out of 66 publications