Dental Screening Examinations for Professional Baseball Players: Preventing Potential Loss of Athlete Playing Time

Objectives: A major league baseball organization (MLBO) noticed significant player-time loss due to severe dental caries and abscesses. The trend was noted most often in Hispanic players. The administration of the MLBO recruited a dentist to come down to perform dental screening examinations in Spring Training to identify dental problems, specifically among the Hispanic players. Methods: Dental screening examinations were performed in the athletic training room by direct clinical visual examination utilizing high intensity light, mouth mirror and tongue depressors. Caries lesions were classified via the International Caries Detection and Assessment System. Teeth classified as Grade 5/6 were recommended for immediate treatment during spring training. Results: Forty-two Hispanic baseball players were examined. Ten percent exhibited no dental caries; ninety percent exhibited dental caries. Twenty-nine percent of players (N=12) examined required immediate dental treatment during spring training; seventy-one percent (N=30) required dental treatment at a later date. Nine of the twelve players requiring treatment during spring training had severe decay that, if left untreated, would result in a loss of valuable playing time. Thus, for the total sample of nine players with severe decay, the MLBO would incur the loss of sixty-three days of player playing-time loss. Seven of the nine players had a total of fifteen teeth requiring immediate treatment, thus reducing the need and cost for advanced dental treatment. Conclusion: Spring training dental screening examinations and expedited treatment can lead to significant cost savings and minimize potential loss of athlete playing time for the major league baseball organization. Clinical Significance: More than ever, today’s society is sports and fitness oriented. Our research involves identifying the oral health needs of athletes. This study is a prime example of the importance of dental screening exams to be included within pre-season physicals. This information can benefit dentists who manage athletes in their practice.