Key result
Public healthcare covers ~97% of pre-surgical dental consults in uninsured valve patients, but clearance documentation is missing.
Why the study?
Pre-surgical dental consultation is mandatory before central cardiovascular surgery to prevent infective endocarditis, but access pathways when a public hospital lacks internal dental services needed evaluation.
Cross-Sectional (n=65)
No
Nearly all uninsured patients (97%) undergoing heart valve replacement at a public Argentine hospital lacking in-house dentistry successfully obtained pre-surgical dental evaluation through the public health system, though formal documentation of dental clearance in medical charts was missing in 98.5% of cases.
High access supports feasibility of public dental clearance for uninsured valve patients; documentation gaps leave open effects on care coordination and infection risk.
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Leva et al. (2024) conducted a cross-sectional in Heart valve replacement surgery (n=65). Lack of social security or health insurance coverage during pre-surgical dental consultation vs. Patients with social security or prepaid health insurance coverage was evaluated on Access to pre-surgical dental consultation through the public health system. Pre-surgical dental evaluation was accessed via the public health system by 97% (36/37) of uninsured valve replacement patients, though 98.5% of records lacked attached dental clearance.
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