R Anderson1, S Richmond, D W Thomas. 1. Department of Oral Surgery, Medicine and Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of attendances and patients who present to family medical practitioners with oral or dental problems. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of standard consultation data. SETTING: 30 family medical practices in the General Practice Morbidity Database for Wales. SUBJECTS: All patients who presented at the practices with an oral or dental complaint during 1996. RESULTS: Of the 1,650,882 patient attendances at the 30 medical practices in the study year, 4,891 (0.3%) were for oral/dental problems. The frequency of these attendances varied considerably between practices (ranging from 0.02 to 0.67% of all attendances); 44.2% of the attendances included tooth-related problems, and 42.3% were for diseases of soft tissue, salivary glands or the tongue. On average patients with dental problems attended their doctor twice as frequently as other patients. The majority (75%) of oral/dental attendances were related solely to these problems. Patients with tooth-related dental problems were three times more likely to seek treatment at weekends than patients attending for other reasons. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of attendance for oral/dental problems varies substantially between practices, but is generally low. The higher rate of attendance for tooth-related problems at weekends suggests that some of the attendances for oral problems might be related to a perceived or actual lack of dental services at these times.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of attendances and patients who present to family medical practitioners with oral or dental problems. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of standard consultation data. SETTING: 30 family medical practices in the General Practice Morbidity Database for Wales. SUBJECTS: All patients who presented at the practices with an oral or dental complaint during 1996. RESULTS: Of the 1,650,882 patient attendances at the 30 medical practices in the study year, 4,891 (0.3%) were for oral/dental problems. The frequency of these attendances varied considerably between practices (ranging from 0.02 to 0.67% of all attendances); 44.2% of the attendances included tooth-related problems, and 42.3% were for diseases of soft tissue, salivary glands or the tongue. On average patients with dental problems attended their doctor twice as frequently as other patients. The majority (75%) of oral/dental attendances were related solely to these problems. Patients with tooth-related dental problems were three times more likely to seek treatment at weekends than patients attending for other reasons. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of attendance for oral/dental problems varies substantially between practices, but is generally low. The higher rate of attendance for tooth-related problems at weekends suggests that some of the attendances for oral problems might be related to a perceived or actual lack of dental services at these times.
Authors: Demetris Pillas; Clive J Hoggart; David M Evans; Paul F O'Reilly; Kirsi Sipilä; Raija Lähdesmäki; Iona Y Millwood; Marika Kaakinen; Gopalakrishnan Netuveli; David Blane; Pimphen Charoen; Ulla Sovio; Anneli Pouta; Nelson Freimer; Anna-Liisa Hartikainen; Jaana Laitinen; Sarianna Vaara; Beate Glaser; Peter Crawford; Nicholas J Timpson; Susan M Ring; Guohong Deng; Weihua Zhang; Mark I McCarthy; Panos Deloukas; Leena Peltonen; Paul Elliott; Lachlan J M Coin; George Davey Smith; Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin Journal: PLoS Genet Date: 2010-02-26 Impact factor: 5.917
Authors: Leonard A Cohen; Shelly L Harris; Arthur J Bonito; Richard J Manski; Mark D Macek; Robert R Edwards; Niharika Khanna; Keith O Plowden Journal: J Am Coll Dent Date: 2009