Objective
The aim of the study was to conduct a cost-analysis of a school based oral healthcare program in the mobile dental unit of the University of Witwatersrand. This was a 5 month program in 2012.
Xtend’s network has been involved in a wide variety of healthcare projects including mobile health clinic cost issues of affordable prices for parental awareness.
Results
According to a report from the Gauteng Oral Health Department, only 0.5% of the 10.4 million South African Children aged 5-14 years had benefited from fissure sealant programs.
The parental consent return rate for oral health screening was 41%, this resulted in 946 learners screened and 421 treated in the 5 month program.
Potential reasons for the low uptake were poor co-operation of school teachers and lack of parental awareness. More community engagement should be undertaken in order to advertise the services and sensitize parents and other members of the community on the importance of oral health.
The low (n=946) uptake of screening services in 5 months resulted in 61% higher costs than if more (n=2460) learners were screened in a full year.
The total economic cost was R813 701, with personnel cost making up more than a 1/3 of the total cost.
Table 1 Total economic costs of inputs
| Description | R | % contribution |
| Recurrent costs (2012) | ||
| Personnel costs | 279.364 | 34.3% |
| Transport costs | 6286 | 0.8% |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 3952 | 0.5% |
| Equipment maintenance | 29014 | 3.6% |
| Supplies | 1657 | 0.2% |
| Dental materials | 146980 | 18.1% |
| Total recurrent costs | 467253 | 57.5% |
| Capital costs | ||
| Vehicles | 172983 | 21.3% |
| Equipment | 173465 | 21.3% |
| Total capital costs | 346448 | 42.6% |
| Total costs | 813701 | 100% |
In this study, fissure sealants were found to cost less in terms of the procedures undertaken. Scaling up the uptake of school mobile dental screening and fissure sealant programs in the country could potentially result in a reducing dental caries in an efficient manner.
Table 2 Average costs of procedures
| Type of procedures | Amount of procedures | Costs of various procedures |
| Atraumatic (ART) restorations | 816 teeth | R997 |
| Conventional restorations | 34 teeth | R23932 |
| Fissure sealants | 1677 teeth | R485 |
| Extractions | 182 teeth | R4470 |
| Fluoride applications | 95 patients | R8565 |
Conclusion
The information generated in this study will be useful to planning for the expansion of service provision to a wider population.
Study Publication Date October 2016
Molete, M.P., Chola, L. & Hofman, K.J. Costs of a school-based dental mobile service in South Africa. BMC Health Serv Res 16, 590 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1827-2
