Naeem Adam & Emma Walshaw

• BDS
• Newcastle University Expedition 2014: Patients Valuation of Preventative Dentistry in Porto Alegre, Brazil

The measurement of benefit and utility derived from medical/dental treatment is a complex and difficult task. Willingness to Pay (WTP) has been proposed as a means of measuring the value patients place on dental treatment. This metric works by elucidating the monetary amount a patient would pay to enter or avoid a scenario. In our research this scenario was avoidance of tooth decay.During our stay in Porto Alegre, we worked with Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). We collected data, using a structured questionnaire, from patients covered by the Brazilian universal healthcare provision, Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). The SUS system shares many principles of our NHS but differs greatly in terms of the demographic it serves; used primarily by individuals without Personal Health Insurance. Ultimately our objective was to determine the monetary value patients placed on Preventative Dentistry. The treatment we proposed was fluoride varnish, a minimally invasive topical application of high fluoride, clinically proven to reduce incidences of tooth decay. Our work would not have been possible without our supervisor, Dr Christopher Vernazza, the Faculdade de Odontologia of PUCRS and the NU Expedition Committee to whom we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude.

Funding Source: Newcastle University Expeditions Committee