We considered the claims data from three different perspectives and then analyzed each of these independently of the others. Specifically, we looked for patterns as follows:
• By claim (work done on one claimant during one visit);
• By tooth (all work done on one specific tooth of one specific claimant by one specific dentist, across all visits);
• By general work (all non-tooth-specific work – exams, fluoride, radiographs, scaling and polishing) done on one specific patient by one dentist, across all visits.