The purpose of the Oral Health Performance Improvement Project (PIP) is to increase the rate of annual dental visits among AHCCCS members 3 through 20 years old, in order to make more progress toward AHCCCS and national Healthy People 2010 goals. As a first step, AHCCCS established a baseline measure of annual dental visits overall and by Contractor from which to measure improvement. This baseline measure also serves as the AHCCCS Annual Medical Audit.

Using methodology developed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set, AHCCCS measured annual dental visits among members ages 3 through 8 (ages 3 through 20 years if enrolled in ALTCS) who were continuously enrolled during the measurement period. Data for the baseline measurement were collected from AHCCCS administrative data (i.e., records of claims paid by Contractors known as encounters). The measurement period was the contract year from October 1, 2001, through September 30, 2002.