Cost-Effectiveness Of MCAT For Preschool Children's Caries Prevention

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Modified Caries-risk Assessment Tool (MCAT) for prevention of caries among preschool children in Yulin, Guangxi. MCAT was designed based on Caries-Risk Assessment Tool (CAT) and the caries related factors of the primary school children in Guangxi. In the test group, topical fluoride use was appilcated for preschool children based on their different risks assessed by MCAT. Meanwhile, a conventional intervention group was set up, and the children received topical fluoride application every 6 months. Follow-up oral examination will be performed biannually for one year to evaluate caries incidence. The economics of different intervention methods were compared through cost-effectiveness analysis method. The caries incidence and caries teeth increment in the test group were 50.6% and 1.78±2.27, respectively, which were lower than that of the conventional intervention group (67.1%, 2.86±2.83) (p<0.001). The test group has a lower prevention cost and better cost-effectiveness, and when the WTP was 626.32 RMB, the probability of the experimental group achieving economic efficiency was 99.8%. MCAT for caries risk assessment in preschool children can effectively reduce the increment of new caries in children through precise topical fluoride application, which has a lower unit prevention cost and good economic benefits.