Effects of payment modalities on the provision of post-endodontic coronal restorations

Abstract

Incentive structure in systems of payment tend to influence the behaviors of both patient and provider. This study sought to demonstrate the possible effects of payment modalities on the provision of post-endodontic coronal restorations. This was a retrospective study of patients who attended the Endodontic clinic of the department of Restorative Dentistry of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and received root canal treatment from January 2014 to January 2016. Data of interest were age, gender and mode of payment for the root canal treatment as well as the type of tooth that was roottreated and type of definitive post-endodontic coronal restoration that was placed. A total of 246 patients' records were retrieved for the study with their ages ranging from 17 years to 79 years with a mean age of 30.90 ± 11.66 years. There was a reduction, with increasing age, in the proportion of patients who used health insurance for their treatment and this was statistically significant. In like manner, a higher proportion of female patients used health insurance for their treatment compared to males and this was statistically significant. There was statistically significant association between the type of definitive post-endodontic coronal restoration and the mode of payment treatment. The use of crowns as definitive post-endodontic coronal restorations was higher in patients who paid out-ofpocket for their treatment than those on health insurance. Patients who receive insured dental care tend to comply with their dental treatment plans provided out-of-pocket expenses are not involved.

Keywords: post-endodontic, coronal restoration, payment modalities