{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,4]],"date-time":"2025-11-04T13:26:12Z","timestamp":1762262772309,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762128000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dentistry Journal"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Timely dental care is essential to prevent complications and preserve natural teeth, yet inefficient referral practices, low reimbursement rates and systemic barriers continue to disproportionately affect Medicaid-enrolled children. This study assessed the appropriateness of root canal therapy (RCT) referrals to a University-based Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program and examined diagnostic and treatment characteristics of referred cases. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of pediatric patients aged 6\u201317 years who were referred by external dental providers to two AEGD clinics in Nevada, United States, between February and August 2024 for endodontic evaluation of carious permanent teeth. Demographic, tooth-type, pulp-status, and treatment outcome data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Kruskal\u2013Wallis comparisons, and multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Among 154 referred patients, 96.8% (n = 149) were Medicaid beneficiaries. A total of 247 teeth were evaluated; 74.1% were molars. Pulp testing showed that 41.3% had healthy pulps and 16.6% had reversible pulpitis, while only 37.2% of teeth required RCT. Age differed significantly across pulp diagnoses (p = 0.0012), and older age independently predicted appropriate referral (adjusted OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.07\u20131.31). Gender was not associated with follow-up compliance (p = 0.47). By November 2024, 53.4% of referred teeth had completed treatment, and 9.3% had no follow-up. Conclusions: More than half of the referral teeth did not require RCT, indicating a high rate of potentially avoidable referrals and highlighting gaps in diagnostic confidence and decision-making at the primary care level. Practical Implications: Enhancing diagnostic training and decision support for general dentists, particularly in vital pulp therapy for young permanent teeth, along with improving Medicaid reimbursement and standardizing referral protocols, may reduce inappropriate specialty referrals. In combination with broader policy reforms, these measures can improve system efficiency and expand access to timely, equitable pediatric dental care.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/dj13110511","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T17:32:01Z","timestamp":1762191121000},"page":"511","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessing Pediatric Endodontic Referrals to University-Based Clinics: A Retrospective Chart Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Alice P.","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Dental Medicine AEGD Program, Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, Henderson, NV 89014, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Civon","family":"Gewelber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Dental Medicine AEGD Program, Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, Henderson, NV 89014, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Helpis","family":"Youssef","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Dental Medicine AEGD Program, Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, Henderson, NV 89014, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-2858-1429","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacob","family":"Marx","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Dental Medicine DMD Program, Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT 84095, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2827-3740","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Man","family":"Hung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Dental Medicine AEGD Program, Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, Henderson, NV 89014, USA"},{"name":"College of Dental Medicine DMD Program, Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT 84095, USA"},{"name":"Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA"},{"name":"Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"354","DOI":"10.1111\/scd.12385","article-title":"Oral health as a gateway to overall health and well-being: Surveillance of the geriatric population in the United States","volume":"39","author":"Hung","year":"2019","journal-title":"Spec. 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Available online: https:\/\/adanews.ada.org\/ada-news\/2024\/august\/ada-calls-for-policy-reforms-to-improve-medicaid-access\/."}],"container-title":["Dentistry Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-6767\/13\/11\/511\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,4]],"date-time":"2025-11-04T13:15:42Z","timestamp":1762262142000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-6767\/13\/11\/511"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11]]}},"alternative-id":["dj13110511"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/dj13110511","relation":{},"ISSN":["2304-6767"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2304-6767"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]]}}}