Brazilian Officials Explore Educational Preventive Oral Care
The Issue You Tackled
Dental caries is still considered the main pathology to cause tooth loss. It is a chronic disease that can mutilate people for the rest of their lives, negatively affecting their life quality.
According to a national survey conducted in Brazil in 2010, older people aged between 65 and 74 years had already lost most of their teeth. Although dental caries etiological factors and prevention procedures are well known, there seems to be a gap between the evidence found in the recent literature and the actual dental care provided in health services in Brazil.
What You Actually Did
The impact of the preventive approach over time does not seem to have been completely understood. Thus, the main objective of this study was to simulate the impact of educational preventive approaches in the maintenance of teeth throughout the lifetime of people.
System dynamics modeling involves the development of computer simulations based on conceptual interactions of multiple factors and processes of accumulation and feedback. This is a suitable approach for the dynamic complexity that characterizes many public health issues.
The model is a useful tool for policymakers when choosing the most appropriate interventions for their populations. This study used data obtained from the National Oral Health Survey conducted in 2010, and qualitative variables from a recent systematic review and some unpublished studies.
The Results
This model showed that educational preventive care can lead to the adoption of healthy habits by the population to a level of 22% over 1 year, resulting in higher numbers of people with retained teeth and improved life quality. This would likely result in the proportion of adults retaining all of their teeth rising from 25% to 50% over 60 years. This could be accomplished with no more than once a week of oral-health education per child, at a cost of no more than US$ 1,5 per year per child.
Our findings highlight the importance of investments in educational approaches from early childhood to result in an exponential cascade effect for the improvement of the oral health of the Brazilian population.
Name | Oral Health Model |
---|---|
Modelers | Mitsue Fujimaki, Josely Emiko Umeda, Renata Corrêa Pascotto, Raquel Sano Suga Terada, Thiago Brito, Ricardo Pietrobon, and Guttenberg Passos |
Contact | Professor Mitsue Fujimaki, Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Integrated Dentistry, Universidade Estadual de Maringá – UEM, |
Client/Participant | State Secretary of Health of Paraná |
Client Type | Government |
Related Publications
Understanding why caries is still a public health problem | Download |
OTHER SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS
Decarbonization of Student Transportation via Electric School Bus Transition
Decarbonization of Student Transportation via Electric School Bus Transition The webinar on “Decarbonization of Student Transportation via Electric School Bus Transition” offered a deep dive into the complexities and potential solutions surrounding the...
Management Design for Planted Forests in Japan Using System Dynamics
Management Design for Planted Forests in Japan Using System Dynamics EXECUTIVE Summary The simulation model offers a novel approach to sustainable forest management in Japan, enabling detailed analysis of labor requirements and changes in forest conditions. It enables...
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation Achieving widespread engagement is a significant challenge with a System Dynamics model. Yet, En-ROADS, the climate solutions simulator co-developed by Climate Interactive and...
Upcoming Events
2024 Conference Material Submission Deadline
Submit conference materials to share with attendees by this date (always updateable!) for the Online Conference Website. Requirements and options vary by session type. Materials include: Paper File in PDF format (a full paper, extended abstract, or slides for...
Recent Posts
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation Achieving widespread engagement is a significant challenge with a System Dynamics model. Yet, En-ROADS, the climate solutions simulator co-developed by Climate Interactive and...
Society Governance Updates
Society Governance Updates Welcome, Allyson! New President Allyson Beall King joined the Policy Council as our 2024 President. Her primary role is as director of the Washington State University School of the Environment, which focuses on regional ecologies and our...
Call for Presenters: Seminar Series
Call for Presenters: Seminar Series We at the System Dynamics Society are continually seeking vibrant and knowledgeable presenters for our ongoing Seminar Series. As we unfold the calendar, there’s always a place for more insights, experiences, and expertise to enrich...
Join us
OTHER SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS
Decarbonization of Student Transportation via Electric School Bus Transition
Decarbonization of Student Transportation via Electric School Bus Transition The webinar on “Decarbonization of Student Transportation via Electric School Bus Transition” offered a deep dive into the complexities and potential solutions surrounding the...
Management Design for Planted Forests in Japan Using System Dynamics
Management Design for Planted Forests in Japan Using System Dynamics EXECUTIVE Summary The simulation model offers a novel approach to sustainable forest management in Japan, enabling detailed analysis of labor requirements and changes in forest conditions. It enables...
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation Achieving widespread engagement is a significant challenge with a System Dynamics model. Yet, En-ROADS, the climate solutions simulator co-developed by Climate Interactive and...
Recent Posts
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation
How Did En-ROADS Get 755,000 users? Lessons on Modeling, Interface Design, and Facilitation Achieving widespread engagement is a significant challenge with a System Dynamics model. Yet, En-ROADS, the climate solutions simulator co-developed by Climate Interactive and...
Society Governance Updates
Society Governance Updates Welcome, Allyson! New President Allyson Beall King joined the Policy Council as our 2024 President. Her primary role is as director of the Washington State University School of the Environment, which focuses on regional ecologies and our...
Call for Presenters: Seminar Series
Call for Presenters: Seminar Series We at the System Dynamics Society are continually seeking vibrant and knowledgeable presenters for our ongoing Seminar Series. As we unfold the calendar, there’s always a place for more insights, experiences, and expertise to enrich...
Upcoming Events
2024 Conference Material Submission Deadline
Submit conference materials to share with attendees by this date (always updateable!) for the Online Conference Website. Requirements and options vary by session type. Materials include: Paper File in PDF format (a full paper, extended abstract, or slides for...