Evaluation of Basic Oral Health Program in Toyama Prefecture

Abstract

Since 1995, we have carried out an Oral Health Program in Toyama prefecture. The budget for this Program is subsidized by the prefecture, and financially assists community oral health projects in the municipalities (cities, towns and villages) in Toyama prefecture. This Program was subdivided into Basic and Optional Programs and this study evaluated the effects of Basic Oral Health Program. The results are as follows: 1. In the 12 municipalities where Basic Program was carried out from 1996 to 1999, the caries prevalence in 3-year-old children was lower than that in the 14 municipalities where Basic Program was not carried out. This result suggests that the Basic Program effectively reduced dental caries. 2. None of the municipalities had dental health officers. However, the percentage of municipalities carrying out community oral health projects has increased due to the subsidy from the Basic Program. This finding indicates that the Basic Program promoted community oral health projects in the municipalities. 3. The municipalities provided with the Basic Program had a lower population of 1.5-year-old children than the municipalities with no Basic Program. It was suggested that the municipalities with a large population had difficulties in carrying out community oral health projects.