Improving Dental Service Utilization Rate Using a Proactive Telephone-Based Scheduling Strategy in Primary Healthcare

• Main Authors: Juan Carlos Garrido (Author), Daniela Matamala (Author), Ricardo Cartes-Velásquez (Author), Valeria Campos (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Association of Support to Oral Health Research (APESB), 2022-03-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1519-0501; 1983-4632
• Keywords: Dental Health Services; Public Health Administration; Public Health Dentistry; Dentistry; RK1-715
• Source: Pesquisa Brasileira em Odontopediatria e Clínica Integrada, Vol 20 (2022)

Objective: To determine the effect of a proactive telephone-based scheduling strategy to improve dental service utilization rate in primary healthcare. Material and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out based on the dental appointments' records of a primary healthcare center before-strategy and after-strategy periods. The variables studied for both periods were the number of dental appointments requested, dental appointments undergone, no-shows, and available quotas. Data collection was performed by two researchers between May and June 2018. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the absolute and relative frequencies. Results: A total of 10,193 records of dental appointments were registered within the two periods. After-strategy period, dental appointments undergone increased by 16,7%, no-shows decreased by 3%, and available quotas decreased by 21.3%. Conclusion: A proactive telephone-based scheduling strategy increased the dental service utilization rate in primary healthcare.