The burden of restorative dental treatment for children in third world countries
Open accessAbstract
Objective To analyse whether developing countries have sufficient health dollars to treat existing diseases in general and dental caries in particular in their child population.Methods Assessments of the costs of treating existing and future caries by the conventional approach. Analysis of WHO dental databases and spreadsheet calculations of costs based upon population projections, prevalence and trends in patterns of caries.Findings Even though the caries levels are low and most of the disease occurs on the occlusal and the buccal/lingual surfaces, more than 90% of the dental caries remains untreated in Third World countries. Calculations reveal that to restore the permanent dentition of the child population of low-income nations using traditional amalgam restorative dentistry would cost between pounds 1,024 ($US1618) and pounds 2,224 ($US3513) per 1,000 children of mixed ages from 6 to 18 years. This exceeds the available resources for the provision of an essential public health care package for the children of 15 to 29 low-income countries.Conclusions To treat caries with the traditional method of restorative dentistry is beyond the financial capabilities of the majority of low-income nations, as three-quarters of these countries do not even have sufficient resources to finance an essential package of health care services for their children.
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In low-income countries, the 'western' model of dentistry is unaffordable, unsustainable and inappropriate.
“This is particularly the case in low-income countries where the 'western' model of dentistry is unaffordable, unsustainable and inappropriate.[6][7][8]”
From Ending the neglect of global oral health: time for radical action. (2019) · cites this paper as [6]
The Abstract (page unavailable) concludes that traditional restorative treatment of children's caries is beyond the financial capabilities of most low-income nations and says prescribing unaffordable treatment where resources are unlikely to become available is unethical. That supports the affordability and appropriateness concerns, but the paper assesses conventional restorative care for children, not the entire ‘western’ model of dentistry or its sustainability in general. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe westernised model of modern dentistry is unaffordable and inappropriate in many LMIC.
“The 'westernised' model of modern dentistry (high technology and treatment focused) is unaffordable and inappropriate in many LMIC.8”
From Oral diseases: a global public health challenge (2019) · cites this paper as [8]
The Abstract concludes that traditional restorative treatment of children's caries is beyond the financial capabilities of most low-income nations. It also says prescribing unaffordable treatment when resources are scarce is unethical. The paper does not establish that the broader, high-technology model of modern dentistry is unaffordable or inappropriate across LMIC. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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- Authors
- Yee, R., & Sheiham, A.
- Corresponding author
- Yee, Robert
- Venue
- International Dental Journal
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2002-02
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-9
- ISSN
- 0020-6539 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2060171656
- Cited by
- 255
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 6.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Dental Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Dental Health and Care Utilization
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Orthodontics › Dental materials and restorations
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Finance › Healthcare Systems and Reforms
- Keywords
- dental caries, restorative dentistry, children, low-income countries, health care financing, untreated dental caries, amalgam restorations, permanent teeth
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Dental Caries, Dental Restoration, Permanent, Developing Countries, DMF Index, Health Expenditures, Health Resources, Humans, Public Health, Health Care Costs, Delivery of Health Care, Integrated, Dental Care for Children
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