JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Given the significant investment of governments, and families, in the provision of child dental care services in Australia, continued population oral health surveillance through national oral health surveys is imperative.

Objective:

The aims of this study are to conduct a 2nd National Child Oral Health Survey (NCOHS-2) to: (1) describe the prevalence, extent and impact of oral diseases in contemporary Australian children; (2) evaluate changes in the prevalence and extent of oral diseases in the Australian child population and socioeconomic sub-groups since the 1st National Child Oral Health Study (NCOHS-1) in 2012-13 and; (3) use economic modelling to evaluate the burden of child oral disease from NCOHS-1 and NCOHS-2 and to estimate cost-effectiveness of targeted programs to high risk child groups.

Methods:

NCOHS-2 will closely mimic NCOHS-1, in being a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of Australian children aged 5–14 years. The survey will comprise oral epidemiological examinations and questionnaires to elucidate associations between dental disease on a range of outcomes including social and emotional wellbeing. The information will be analysed within the context of dental service organisation and delivery at national and jurisdictional levels. Information from NCOHS-1 and NCOHS-2 will be used to simulate oral disease and its economic burden using both health system and household costs of childhood oral health disease.

Results:

Participant recruitment for NCOHS-2 will commence in Feb 2024. The first results are expected to be submitted for publication six months after NCOHS-2 data collection has been completed. Thematic workshops with key partners and stakeholders will also occur at this time.

Conclusions:

Regular surveillance of child oral health at an Australian level facilitates timely policy and planning of each state and territory’s dental public health sector. This is imperative to enable the most equitable distribution of scarce public monies, especially for socially disadvantaged children who bear the greatest dental disease burden. The last National Child Oral Health Study was conducted in 2012-14, meaning this data needs to be updated to better inform effective dental health policy and planning. NCOHS-2 will enable more up-to date estimates of dental disease prevalence and severity among Australian children, with cost-effective analysis being useful to determine the economic burden of poor child dental health on social and emotional wellbeing and other health indicators.