Characteristics of Value-Based Oral Health Care: A Scoping Review

Introduction: This review presents a scoping review exploring the characteristics of value-based oral health care (VBOHC) and the potential to transform the delivery of dental services. VBOHC represents a shift from the traditional fee-for-service model, which prioritises service volume, to a system focused on improving patient outcomes, enhancing preventive care, and optimising cost-efficiency. Objectives: To identify and synthesise the defining characteristics of VBOHC and assess the potential to enhance patient outcomes, cost-efficiency, and care delivery in dental systems. Methods: Following methodology per the Joanna Briggs Institute and guidance per PRISMA-ScR reporting (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews), a scoping review was undertaken to include literature discussing VBOHC across various health care settings. Searches were undertaken in 6 relevant databases. Peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies published in English were included and thematically analysed. A total of 50 studies were included after 185 studies were screened. Results: This research identifies several defining characteristics of VBOHC, including prevention and early intervention, patient-centred care, shared decision making, and outcome-based compensation. The scoping review highlights how VBOHC emphasises preventive care to reduce the incidence of severe dental conditions, particularly benefiting vulnerable populations with limited access to regular care. By encouraging proactive engagement with oral health, VBOHC improves long-term patient outcomes while reducing health care costs. Additionally, VBOHC promotes shared decision making, fostering a collaborative relationship between providers and patients, which enhances patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment plans. For providers, the transition to VBOHC requires significant operational and cultural changes, including adopting new workflows focused on outcomes, incorporating digital health technologies, embracing team-based care models, and integrating dental services into broader health care systems. Conclusion: This review concludes that VBOHC is characterised by patient empowerment and a patient-centred whole system approach. However, successful implementation requires addressing the challenges associated with transitioning from the fee-for-service model, particularly through provider support, infrastructure investments, and policy reforms. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The findings of this scoping review can inform policy makers, dental professionals, and health service planners seeking to implement value-based oral health care models. By understanding the core characteristics, this evidence can support more sustainable, equitable, and efficient dental care delivery across a range of health care settings.