EC Paediatrics

Research Article Volume 13 Issue 5 - 2024

Analysis of Pediatric Oral Health Outcomes Reveals Differences Between English and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Non-English Speakers

Anna Roman1, Carly Johnson2, Karl Kingsley3* and Victoria Sullivan4

1Second-Year Dental Resident in the Department of Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - School of Dental Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
2Second-Year Dental Student in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - School of Dental Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
3Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - School of Dental Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
4Associate Professor of Dental Medicine in the Department of Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - School of Dental Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

*Corresponding Author: Karl Kingsley, Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - School of Dental Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Received: April 15, 2024; Published: April 26, 2024




Language based inequality is an increasing problem in the United States healthcare system. Non-English speaking patients face barriers in health care settings that can result in substandard treatment and worse health outcomes than English speaking patients. Although previous research has demonstrated this disparity in medicine, no research has looked at the oral health outcomes of pediatric English speaking patients versus non- English-speaking patients in dentistry. To assess this, a retrospective study was conducted on data from the 2018 - 2022 pediatric population at the UNLV School of Dental Medicine. Restorations, crowns, and extractions were compared. Analysis of this data revealed that there was no significant difference between English/Non-English speaking pediatric patients for restorations (p = 0.9800). However, more complicated procedures, such as crowns (n = 414), exhibited differences within this patient population - with the proportion of patients speaking other languages significantly higher (5.1% versus 1.2%), p = 0.0003. In addition, analysis of extractions (n = 1,095), revealed significant differences among non-English speakers (2.1%) compared with the overall clinic population (1.2%), p = 0.0084. This data suggests disparities in dental health care between pediatric English and non-English, alternative language speakers. Furthermore, this suggests there are possible differences in routine dental hygiene, oral health maintenance, and access to dental care for pediatric English and non-English speakers. Further investigation will be needed to understand the cause of these discrepancies and how to reduce the higher rates of more complicated dental treatments needed for non-English speaking pediatric patients.

 Keywords: Minority; Non-English Speakers; Oral Health Outcomes; Pediatric Patients

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Karl Kingsley., et al. "Analysis of Pediatric Oral Health Outcomes Reveals Differences Between English and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Non-English Speakers". EC Paediatrics 13.5 (2024): 01-11.

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