Recent trends in dental emergency department visits in the United States:1997/1998 to 2007/2008.

OBJECTIVE

The author focused on recent national trends in dental emergency department (ED) visits. Patients who presented at an ED for a dental condition are described and the author look at the extent to which these patients have changed over time.

METHODS

This study was based on the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a national probability survey of hospital ED visits. A dental ED visit was defined using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification diagnostic codes.

RESULTS

Between 1997/1998 and 2007/2008, dental ED visits increased from 1.15 to 1.87 percent of total ED visits. The largest increase in the number of dental ED visits per 1,000 persons was found for young adults 20-34 years old. Primary payer, a measure of insurance status, suggests that patients from all income levels participated in the increase.

CONCLUSIONS

Although dental-related ED visits account for a relatively small percentage of total ED visits, both the number and the percentage of such visits grew from 1997/1998 to 2007/2008. Young adults 20-34 years old were most likely to present at an ED with a dental problem.