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Economic Evaluation: Uses and Potential Uses in Oral Health Policy Development

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Introduction to Economic Evaluation in Oral Health Care

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Abstract

This chapter presents an introduction to how economic evaluation has and can be used to inform the oral health policy decision-making process. It outlines and identifies limitations to the policy information generating process and provides insight into how the oral health economic evaluation research process might be improved to address this limitation. The key components of policy will be defined and outlined along with comments on the often-messy process of its making. Several frameworks will be presented which systematically outline the many factors that influence the development of health policy and indicate where economic evaluation can contribute. These frameworks can assist in developing good oral health policy. The different environments of researchers and policy makers will be outlined – with proposals for bridging the cultural divide to enhance the translation of economic evaluation research into policy and practice. Evaluation and policy questions that confront oral health policy makers will be discussed along with future directions for economic evaluation research to shape policy. The information is relevant to a broad range of oral health systems – from predominantly private sector systems to those with a greater public sector focus.

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Acknowledgements

Thank you to Rodrigo Marino, Pauline Sanders and Clare Lin for helping shape this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    John Rogers

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  1. John Rogers
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Correspondence to John Rogers .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile

    Carlos Zaror

  2. Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Rodrigo Mariño

Appendix 1: Scoping Review of the Literature

Appendix 1: Scoping Review of the Literature

The systematic database search carried out in May 2020 included MEDLINE, ERIC and CINAHL via the EBSCOhost platform; PubMed, EMBASE, DARE, NHSEED, HTA, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry, PEDE and Cochrane reviews via EMBASE Classic and Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews; Scopus; Science Direct; and Google Scholar.

Grey literature including government plans, papers and reports were sourced through content experts in oral health policy. Reference lists of these documents were also searched. General health policy makers also provided information about policy decisions in oral health in which they were involved.

Search terms included ‘economic evaluation or cost-effectiveness or cost-benefit or cost-utility’ and ‘oral health’ or ‘dental health’ or ‘dentistry’ or ‘dental care’ and ‘policy’. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed studies in English published between 1990 and May 2020.

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Rogers, J. (2022). Economic Evaluation: Uses and Potential Uses in Oral Health Policy Development. In: Zaror, C., Mariño, R. (eds) Introduction to Economic Evaluation in Oral Health Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96289-0_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96289-0_13

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