{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T22:32:07Z","timestamp":1788474727640,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782864000000},"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\/Objectives: A multivariable prediction model was developed and externally validated to estimate an individual\u2019s current need to visit a dentist among young to middle-aged adults. The objective was to provide an accessible, non-invasive screening tool for independent home self-assessment or integration within routine healthcare workflows. Methods: A cross-sectional study utilised data from two National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles (2011\u20132014). Logistic regression was applied to develop the prediction model among 1870 dentate adults aged 30\u201350, a critical onset period for oral diseases. The primary outcome was derived from objective oral examinations conducted by licensed dentists. The resulting questionnaire-based tool provides two recommendations: a visit to a dentist or continuation of routine oral care. Results: External validation using the independent NHANES 2013\u20132014 cohort (n = 2024) demonstrated robust and clinically relevant predictive capacity, with an AUC of 0.822 (95% CI 0.803\u20130.842). The model exhibited acceptable calibration (slope 0.85; intercept 0.04) and stable operation. Decision-curve analysis showed net benefit across thresholds; at Pt = 0.33, 14\/100 unnecessary screenings were avoided compared with treat-all. Internal validation using a 10% hold-out partition (n = 184) supported these findings, indicating similarly strong discrimination (AUC 0.817, 95% CI 0.751\u20130.884). Conclusions: Early midlife is a consistent and informative period for oral health intervention. A scalable 14-predictor architecture using accessible indicators established high clinical utility, supporting integration into digital health and primary care. This approach enables efficient population-level prevention. Large-scale, nationally representative NHANES data allowed for the investigation of less-studied factors, including intermittent smoking, metabolic dysregulation, and elevated cholesterol levels.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/dj14070398","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T10:41:01Z","timestamp":1782902461000},"page":"398","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Predicting the Need to Visit a Dentist in Young to Middle-Aged Adults: A Development and External Validation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9532-8829","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Miika","family":"Penttala","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Head and Neck Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1007\/s00125-011-2342-y","article-title":"Periodontitis and diabetes: A two-way relationship","volume":"55","author":"Preshaw","year":"2012","journal-title":"Diabetologia"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5334\/gh.400","article-title":"Periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases: Consensus report","volume":"15","author":"Sanz","year":"2020","journal-title":"Glob. 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