Analysis of Health Service Utilization in Post-Screening Dental and Oral Examination Follow-Up for Elementary School Children
Abstract
The utilization of health services after dental and oral health screening among elementary school children is an issue that requires serious attention, particularly in relation to efforts for the early prevention and control of dental diseases. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing the utilization of health services for follow-up examinations after dental and oral health screening among elementary school children in Karo District. The study employed an analytic survey with a cross-sectional design. The sample size was determined using the Isaac and Michael table, resulting in 232 mothers whose children were diagnosed with dental caries, selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected using a validated and reliable questionnaire and analyzed with multiple logistic regression. The findings showed that the utilization of health services for follow-up examinations after dental and oral health screening among elementary school children in Karo District was 13.4%, far below the target (100%). The analysis indicated that predisposing, enabling, and need factors had a significant influence on the utilization of health services for follow-up examinations after screening, with a p-value < 0.005 and Exp (β) of 1.086. These factors were shown to significantly affect health service utilization. Efforts are needed to improve oral health education, empower families, and optimize the role of community health centers and schools in supporting the utilization of health services after screening.
References
Akpabio, A., Klausner, C. P., & Inglehart, M. R. (2008). Mothers'/guardians' knowledge about promoting children's oral health. American Dental Hygienists' Association, 82(1), 12-12.
Amalia, R., Schaub, R. M., Widyanti, N., Stewart, R., & Groothoff, J. W. (2012). The role of school‐based dental programme on dental caries experience in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. International journal of paediatric dentistry, 22(3), 203-210. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-263X.2011.01177.x
Amin, T. T., & Al‐Abad, B. M. (2008). Oral hygiene practices, dental knowledge, dietary habits and their relation to caries among male primary school children in Al Hassa, Saudi Arabia. International journal of dental hygiene, 6(4), 361-370. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1601-5037.2008.00310.x
Azikin, A., Rahman, A., & Rauf, R. (2020). Hubungan pengetahuan tentang kesehatan gigi dan mulut dengan pemanfaatan pelayanan kesehatan gigi di Puskesmas. Jurnal Kesehatan Gigi dan Mulut, 8(1), 23–30. https://doi.org/10.35891/jkgm.v8i1.236
Badran, A., Keraa, K., & Farghaly, M. M. (2023). The impact of oral health literacy on dental anxiety and utilization of oral health services among dental patients: a cross sectional study. BMC Oral Health, 23(1), 146. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-02840-3
Baldani, M. H., Mendes, Y. B. E., de Campos Lawder, J. A., de Lara, A. P. I., da Silva Rodrigues, M. M. A., & Antunes, J. L. F. (2011). Inequalities in dental services utilization among Brazilian low‐income children: the role of individual determinants. Journal of public health dentistry, 71(1), 46-53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-7325.2010.00201.x
Barnes, J., Kroll, L., Burke, O., Lee, J., Jones, A., & Stein, A. (2000). Qualitative interview study of communication between parents and children about maternal breast cancer. Bmj, 321(7259), 479-482.
Bernhardt, J. M., & Felter, E. M. (2004). Online pediatric information seeking among mothers of young children: results from a qualitative study using focus groups. Journal of medical Internet research, 6(1), e36. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6.1.e7
Burleson, B. R., Delia, J. G., & Applegate, J. L. (1992). Effects of maternal communication and children's social-cognitive and communication skills on children's acceptance by the peer group. Family Relations, 264-272. https://doi.org/10.2307/585189
Butani, Y., Weintraub, J. A., & Barker, J. C. (2008). Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: assessment of the literature. BMC oral health, 8(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6831-8-26
Chen, X., Gao, Y., Wang, Y., & Zhang, M. (2020). Maternal education and children’s oral health behaviors: A cross-sectional study in Wuhan, China. BMC Oral Health, 20(1), 155. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-020-01146-1
Cruz, G. G. D., Rozier, R. G., & Slade, G. (2004). Dental screening and referral of young children by pediatric primary care providers. Pediatrics, 114(5), e642-e652. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2004-1269
Curran, T. (2016). Emotional availability and social skills: A link between mother-child depressive symptoms. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, 10(2), 149-160. https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.v10i2.211
Davis, T. C., Humiston, S. G., Arnold, C. L., Bocchini Jr, J. A., Bass III, P. F., Kennen, E. M., ... & Lloyd-Puryear, M. (2006). Recommendations for effective newborn screening communication: results of focus groups with parents, providers, and experts. Pediatrics, 117(Supplement_3), S326-S340. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2005-2633M
George, A., Sousa, M. S., Kong, A. C., Blinkhorn, A., Patterson Norrie, T., Foster, J., ... & Johnson, M. (2019). Effectiveness of preventive dental programs offered to mothers by non-dental professionals to control early childhood dental caries: a review. BMC Oral health, 19(1), 172. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-019-0862-x
Han, S. Y., Chang, C. L., Wang, Y. L., Wang, C. S., Lee, W. J., Vo, T. T. T., ... & Lee, I. T. (2025). A narrative review on advancing pediatric oral health: comprehensive strategies for the prevention and management of dental challenges in children. Children, 12(3), 286. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030286
Hariyani, N., Setyowati, D., Listl, S., & Nair, R. (2023). Effect of Socioeconomic Status on Teeth and Dental Care–Evidence from a Population-based Study in Indonesia. Oral health & preventive dentistry, 21, b3956549. https://doi.org/10.3290/j.ohpd.b3956549
Khan, M. A., Rahim, S., & Nordin, R. (2024). Dental caries prevalence and associated factors among Southeast Asian children: A regional review. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 84(2), 150–160. https://doi.org/10.1111/jphd.12573
Macek, M. D., Manski, R. J., Vargas, C. M., & Moeller, J. (2002). Comparing oral health care utilization estimates in the United States across three nationally representative surveys. Health services research, 37(2), 499-521. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.034
Maharani, D. A., Zhang, S., Gao, S. S., Chu, C. H., & Rahardjo, A. (2019). Dental caries and the erosive tooth wear status of 12-year-old children in Jakarta, Indonesia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16), 2994. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162994
Manski, R. J., Hyde, J. S., Chen, H., & Moeller, J. F. (2016). Differences among older adults in the types of dental services used in the United States. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 53, 0046958016652523. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958016652523
Mayeka, Y., Sari, D., & Rahayu, L. (2021). Hubungan komunikasi petugas kesehatan dengan pemanfaatan pelayanan kesehatan gigi di Puskesmas. Jurnal Promosi Kesehatan Indone-sia, 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.14710/jpki.16.1.1-10
Ningsih, S. M., Wulandari, D., & Prasetyo, E. (2024). Hubungan pengetahuan dan ketersediaan waktu dengan pemanfaatan pelayanan kesehatan gigi pada ibu anak usia sekolah dasar. Jurnal Kesehatan Masyarakat Andalas, 18(2), 124–133. https://doi.org/10.25077/jkma.18.2.124-133.2024
Nurwati, B. (2019). Hubungan karies gigi dengan kualitas hidup pada anak sekolah usia 5-7 tahun. Jurnal Skala Kesehatan, 10(1), 41-47. https://doi.org/10.31964/jsk.v10i1.164
Ojok, S., Musinguzi, M., Kigongo, E., Akello, A. R., Kabunga, A., Opollo, M. S., & Okello, N. (2024). Factors associated with utilization of oral health services among adults aged 18–70 years in Lira district, Northern Uganda: a community based cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health, 24(1), 1322. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-05082-z
Olatosi, O. O., Oyapero, A., Onyejaka, N. K., & Boyede, G. O. (2020). Maternal knowledge, dental service utilization and self-reported oral hygiene practices in relation to oral health of preschool children in Lagos, Nigeria. PAMJ-One Health, 2(10). https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj-oh.2020.2.10.22850
Olusanya, B. O., & Akinyemi, O. O. (2009). Community-based infant hearing screening in a developing country: parental uptake of follow-up services. BMC Public Health, 9(1), 66. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-66
Olusile, A. O., Adeniyi, A. A., & Orebanjo, O. (2014). Self-rated oral health status, oral health service utilization, and oral hygiene practices among adult Nigerians. BMC oral health, 14(1), 140. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6831-14-140
Riolina, A., Hartini, S., & Suparyati, S. (2020). Dental and oral health problems in elementary school children: A scoping review. Pediatric Dental Journal, 30(2), 106-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdj.2020.04.001
Rowe, R. E., Garcia, J., Macfarlane, A. J., & Davidson, L. L. (2002). Improving communication between health professionals and women in maternity care: a structured review. Health Expectations, 5(1), 63-83. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1369-6513.2002.00159.x
Seni, A. G., Todor, L., Kis, A. M., Cincu, M. G., Popovici, R. A., Porumb, A., ... & Tarcea, M. (2025). Assessment of Oral Hygiene Practices and Dental Health Conditions in School-Aged Children of 7–10 Years. Children, 12(10), 1288. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12101288
Shetty, R. M., Deoghare, A., Rath, S., Sarda, R., & Tamrakar, A. (2016). Influence of mother′ s oral health care knowledge on oral health status of their preschool child. Saudi Journal of Oral Sciences, 3(1), 12-16. https://doi.org/10.4103/1658-6816.174291
Shirahmadi, S., Khazaei, S., Meschi, M., Miresmaeili, A. F., Barkhordar, S., Heidari, A., ... & Gafari, A. (2022). Dental caries experience in primary school‐age children following" Students’ Oral Health Promotion Program," Iran. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 20(3), 453-464. https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.12561
Statham, H., Solomou, W., & Green, J. M. (2003). Communication of prenatal screening and diagnosis results to primary-care health professionals. Public Health, 117(5), 348-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0033-3506(03)00080-5
Susilawati, E., Praptiwi, Y. H., Chaerudin, D. R., & Mulyanti, S. (2023). Hubungan kejadian karies gigi dengan kualitas hidup anak. Jurnal Riset Kesehatan Poltekkes Depkes Bandung, 15(2), 476-485.
Yoharani, M., Sari, E., & Widodo, H. (2021). Peran ibu dalam pemanfaatan pelayanan kesehatan gigi dan mulut anak sekolah dasar. Jurnal Ilmu Kesehatan Masyarakat Indo-nesia, 12(3), 200–208. https://doi.org/10.35816/jikmi.v12i3.565
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal La Medihealtico
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
