| Literature DB >> 19630986 |
Rupert Austin1, Kate Jones, Desmond Wright, Nora Donaldson, Jennifer E Gallagher.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prior to the introduction of the 2006 NHS dental contract in England and Wales, general dental practitioners (GDPs) were responsible for the provision of out-of-hours (OOH) emergency dental services (EDS); however there was great national variation in service provision. Under the contractual arrangements introduced 1st April 2006, local commissioning agencies became formally responsible for the provision of out-of-hours emergency dental services. This study aimed to examine patients' use of an out-of-hours emergency dental service and to determine whether the introduction of the 2006 national NHS dental contract had resulted in a change in service use, with a view to informing future planning and commissioning of care.Entities:
Year: 2009 PMID: 19630986 PMCID: PMC2729730 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6831-9-19
Source DB: PubMed Journal: BMC Oral Health ISSN: 1472-6831 Impact factor: 2.757
Figure 1Section A of questionnaire administered to service users attending an out-of-hours emergency service.
Figure 2Section B of questionnaire administered to service users attending an out-of-hours emergency service.
Number of service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods
| % | N | % | N | % | ||
| King's | 718 | 73 | 432 | 79 | 1150 | 75 |
| Guy's | 263 | 27 | 114 | 21 | 377 | 25 |
| Total | 981 | 546 | 1527 | |||
Gender, ethnicity, age and payment status of service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods
| % | N | % | N | % | ||||
| Gender | male | 468 | 51 | 255 | 49 | 723 | 50 | 0.38 |
| female | 445 | 49 | 267 | 51 | 712 | 50 | ||
| Ethnicity | White | 520 | 57 | 306 | 58 | 826 | 57 | 0.79 |
| Black | 276 | 30 | 149 | 28 | 425 | 29 | ||
| Others | 123 | 13 | 70 | 13 | 193 | 13 | ||
| Age | 18–64 years | 857 | 97 | 491 | 98 | 1348 | 97 | |
| 65+ years | 30 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 41 | 3 | ||
| Normally pay for dental treatment? | yes | 475 | 52 | 267 | 52 | 742 | 52 | 0.66 |
| no | 376 | 41 | 206 | 40 | 582 | 41 | ||
| don't know | 58 | 6 | 39 | 8 | 97 | 7 | ||
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
Reasons for attending amongst service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods: Nature of dental problem
| % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Toothache | 660 | 73 | 370 | 72 | 1030 | 72 | 0.62 |
| Swollen face | 147 | 16 | 103 | 20 | 250 | 18 | 0.08 |
| Fractured filling/teeth | 151 | 17 | 93 | 18 | 244 | 17 | 0.52 |
| Loose or missing crown/bridge | 76 | 8 | 52 | 10 | 128 | 9 | 0.29 |
| To get advice on dental problem | 64 | 7 | 37 | 7 | 101 | 7 | 0.94 |
| Bleeding gums | 49 | 5 | 34 | 7 | 83 | 6 | 0.36 |
| Injury to mouth or jaw | 38 | 4 | 19 | 4 | 57 | 4 | 0.63 |
| Bleeding from mouth or face | 20 | 2 | 21 | 4 | 41 | 3 | 0.04 |
| Other reason | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0.99 |
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
Reasons for attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods: Reason for choice of service
| % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Unable to be seen at other Emergency Dental Service | 303 | 41 | 170 | 43 | 473 | 42 | 0.6 |
| My dentist doesn't provide emergency care | 195 | 26 | 108 | 27 | 303 | 27 | 0.8 |
| Appointment not available at my dentist | 210 | 28 | 80 | 20 | 290 | 25 | 0.002 |
| Easier to get to than my dentist | 61 | 8 | 55 | 14 | 116 | 10 | 0.003 |
| My dentist no longer seeing NHS patients | 51 | 7 | 25 | 6 | 76 | 7 | 0.68 |
| Cheaper than going to my dentist | 12 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 0.87 |
| Visiting friends/relatives in area | 13 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 25 | 2 | 0.17 |
| For second opinion | 19 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 27 | 2 | 0.55 |
| For other reason | 10 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 0.16 |
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
How service users were directed to an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods
| % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Family or friends | 246 | 29 | 159 | 31 | 405 | 30 | 0.62 |
| NHS Direct | 188 | 22 | 127 | 24 | 315 | 23 | 0.39 |
| Have used this service before | 131 | 16 | 78 | 15 | 209 | 15 | 0.77 |
| Dental receptionist | 119 | 14 | 45 | 9 | 164 | 12 | 0.002 |
| A & E | 78 | 9 | 42 | 8 | 120 | 9 | 0.44 |
| Dentist's answering machine | 54 | 6 | 22 | 4 | 76 | 6 | 0.09 |
| Doctor | 28 | 3 | 16 | 3 | 44 | 3 | 0.79 |
| Pharmacist | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0.45 |
| Primary care trust | 10 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0.8 |
| South East London Doctors Co-op | 12 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 0.87 |
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
Use of NHS Direct amongst service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods
| % | N | % | N | % | ||||
| Aware of NHS Direct | yes | 571 | 64 | 340 | 67 | 911 | 65 | 0.27 |
| Referred by NHS Direct | yes | 147 | 19 | 109 | 24 | 256 | 21 | 0.02 |
| Ever used NHS Direct for health problem? | yes – telephone and/or internet | 290 | 35 | 171 | 36 | 461 | 35 | 0.76 |
| no | 546 | 65 | 310 | 64 | 856 | 65 | ||
| Ever used NHS Direct for dental problem? | yes – telephone and/or internet | 142 | 16 | 115 | 22 | 257 | 18 | 0.002 |
| no | 771 | 84 | 398 | 78 | 1169 | 82 | ||
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
Last dental visit amongst service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Last dental visit | Over 2 years ago | 218 | 25 | 135 | 29 | 353 | 27 | 0.26 |
| 13–24 months ago | 103 | 12 | 48 | 10 | 151 | 11 | ||
| 7–12 months ago | 139 | 16 | 76 | 16 | 215 | 16 | ||
| 6 months ago or less | 400 | 47 | 205 | 44 | 605 | 46 | ||
| Never attended a dentist | 20 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 34 | 2 | ||
| Trouble with teeth | 401 | 43 | 213 | 43 | 612 | 43 | ||
| Reason | Check up | 262 | 28 | 141 | 29 | 403 | 28 | 0.88 |
| Treatment | 241 | 26 | 126 | 26 | 367 | 26 | ||
| Emergency dental service | 103 | 12 | 71 | 16 | 174 | 13 | ||
| Location | Dental practice | 679 | 80 | 342 | 75 | 1021 | 79 | 0.08 |
| Other | 63 | 8 | 43 | 9 | 106 | 8 | ||
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
Frequency of dental visits amongst service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods
| % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Every 3 or more years/only when need to/never | 432 | 49 | 238 | 50 | 670 | 48 | 0.37 |
| Every 2 years | 51 | 6 | 33 | 7 | 84 | 6 | |
| Once a year | 138 | 16 | 85 | 18 | 223 | 16 | |
| Every 6 months | 221 | 25 | 103 | 22 | 324 | 24 | |
| More often than every 6 months | 41 | 5 | 20 | 4 | 61 | 4 | |
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
Future preferences for accessing emergency dental care amongst service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time Periods
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |||
| How would like to get help – face to face with dentist | 1: Most Desirable | 380 | 78 | 270 | 82 | 650 | 79 | 0.02 |
| 2 | 33 | 7 | 27 | 8 | 60 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 29 | 6 | 18 | 5 | 47 | 6 | ||
| 4 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 37 | 8 | 14 | 4 | 51 | 6 | ||
| How would like to get help – phone advice with own dentist next day appt | 1: Most Desirable | 348 | 66 | 168 | 55 | 516 | 62 | 0.03 |
| 2 | 98 | 18 | 70 | 23 | 168 | 20 | ||
| 3 | 44 | 8 | 43 | 14 | 87 | 10 | ||
| 4 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 3 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 29 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 44 | 5 | ||
| How would like to get help – phone advice with local dentist next day appt | 1: Most Desirable | 188 | 44 | 89 | 34 | 277 | 40 | 0.13 |
| 2 | 117 | 27 | 85 | 32 | 202 | 29 | ||
| 3 | 69 | 16 | 51 | 19 | 120 | 17 | ||
| 4 | 21 | 5 | 20 | 8 | 41 | 6 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 34 | 8 | 17 | 6 | 51 | 7 | ||
| How would like to get help – phone advice from dentist | 1: Most Desirable | 188 | 41 | 86 | 32 | 274 | 37 | 0.1 |
| 2 | 109 | 23 | 62 | 23 | 171 | 23 | ||
| 3 | 71 | 15 | 69 | 25 | 140 | 19 | ||
| 4 | 51 | 11 | 33 | 12 | 84 | 11 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 45 | 10 | 22 | 8 | 67 | 9 | ||
| How would like to get help – phone advice from nurse | 1: Most Desirable | 98 | 23 | 36 | 14 | 134 | 20 | 0.06 |
| 2 | 92 | 22 | 46 | 18 | 138 | 20 | ||
| 3 | 89 | 21 | 81 | 31 | 170 | 25 | ||
| 4 | 72 | 17 | 57 | 22 | 129 | 19 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 77 | 18 | 38 | 15 | 115 | 17 | ||
| How would like to get help – internet/digital TV | 1: Most Desirable | 77 | 18 | 26 | 10 | 103 | 15 | 0.06 |
| 2 | 54 | 13 | 33 | 13 | 87 | 13 | ||
| 3 | 75 | 17 | 52 | 20 | 127 | 18 | ||
| 4 | 42 | 10 | 35 | 13 | 77 | 11 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 183 | 42 | 115 | 44 | 298 | 43 | ||
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%
Future preferences for timing of emergency dental care amongst service users attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service over two time periods
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Prefer to attend early morning | 1: Most desirable | 447 | 77 | 211 | 72 | 658 | 75 | 0.21 |
| 2 | 47 | 8 | 27 | 9 | 74 | 8 | ||
| 3 | 28 | 5 | 18 | 6 | 46 | 5 | ||
| 4 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 24 | 3 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 46 | 8 | 26 | 9 | 72 | 8 | ||
| Prefer to attend evening | 1: Most desirable | 235 | 56 | 197 | 69 | 432 | 61 | 0.0001 |
| 2 | 55 | 13 | 28 | 10 | 83 | 12 | ||
| 3 | 64 | 15 | 35 | 12 | 99 | 14 | ||
| 4 | 27 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 39 | 5 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 42 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 57 | 8 | ||
| Prefer to attend weekend | 1: Most desirable | 165 | 49 | 126 | 59 | 291 | 53 | 0.02 |
| 2 | 49 | 15 | 25 | 12 | 74 | 13 | ||
| 3 | 34 | 10 | 26 | 12 | 60 | 11 | ||
| 4 | 29 | 9 | 18 | 8 | 47 | 9 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 57 | 17 | 20 | 9 | 77 | 14 | ||
| Prefer to attend lunchtime | 1: Most desirable | 87 | 27 | 62 | 32 | 149 | 29 | 0.5 |
| 2 | 109 | 34 | 41 | 21 | 150 | 29 | ||
| 3 | 46 | 14 | 39 | 20 | 85 | 17 | ||
| 4 | 27 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 37 | 7 | ||
| 5: Least desirable | 53 | 16 | 41 | 21 | 94 | 18 | ||
Note: Question has multiple responses therefore total ≠ 100%