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
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
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 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
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%
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 ®
Sample Demographics Female 26.7 Male 73.3 Female 26.0 Male 74.0 Gender % Asian 2.2 Black 20.8 Hispanic 8.2 Other 2.2 White 66.6 Asian 2.3 Black 20.1 Hispanic 8.3 Other 2.1 White 67.2 Race % 20.4 years 20.1 years Age (mean) No = 1,380 Yes = 1,331 Record Reviewed
Sample Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs 2.2 PSR Score (Mean) 0.12 0.08 Endodontic (Mean) 1.70 1.66 Extractions (Mean) 3.56 3.66 Oper Teeth (Mean) No = 1,380 Yes = 1,331 Record Reviewed Readiness Class % Class 1 0.6 Class 2 45.3 Class 3 54.1 Class 1 0.5 Class 2 51.9 Class 3 47.6
Mean Months of Observation (among recruits who served more than 12 months)
Percentage of 1994 Recruits Percentage of 1994 Recruits* Who Achieved Class 1 Status During Their First 4 Years of Military Service 92.3 86.7 66.6 59.3 63.4 64.0 58.4 53.8 52.6 41.7 * Excluding recruits who served less than 12 months
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 67.2 64.1 69.0 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
Mean Number of Months Before Becoming Class 1 (among recruits who became class 1 at some point) 23.8 17.6 15.2 13.0 16.5 18.1 13.3 16.9 17.5 21.5
Mean Number of Months Recruits. Remained Class 1 Mean Number of Months Recruits* Remained Class 1** (After First Incident of Becoming Class 1) * 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 18.0 21.2 17.6 23.1 20.4 18.9 20.7 18.6
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
Recruit. Class 1 Conversion Percentages 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
Recruit. Class 1 Conversion Percentages 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
Recruit. Class 1 Conversion Percentages 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