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PubMedDate not supplied

Dentists' perceptions of the variety of dental services provided for children.

The purpose of this project was to describe the variety of dental services provided to child patients by general dentists and pediatric dentists. A survey was mailed to a random sample of 2000 general dentists and 1000 pediatric dentists requesting information about the dental services provided to children. Six hundred sixty-two general dentists (33 percent) and 492 pediatric dentists (49 percent) responded. Pediatric dentists reported more frequently obtaining informed consent (p < .0001), placing strip crowns (p < .0001), steel crowns (p < .0001) and pulp treatment procedures (p < .0001). Sealant use in both groups was high but the general dentists reported more frequently sealing occlusal surfaces with incipient caries (p < .001). There were differences in the reported provision of orthodontic services. The general dentists were more likely to refer children for treatment while the pediatric dentists reported they performed limited or comprehensive orthodontic treatment (p < .0001). The results of the survey demonstrate that pediatric dentists perceive that they provide a broader scope of restorative and orthodontic services.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed1996

Ideal role behaviours as seen by dentists and patients themselves and by their role partners: do they differ?

The aim of this study was to determine whether patients and dentists differ in their ideal role expectations concerning each others behaviour. This was done by further analysing a set of data containing responses to 124 five-class Likertian statements about ideal role expectations and questions about the background of the respondents with regard to different aspects of the dentist-patient relationship. The study groups consisted of a representative sample of lay people and all dentists in the Finnish Provinces Kuopio and North Karelia. To extract areas of ideal role expectations for both dentists and patients, orthogonal factor analyses were applied to the data. To evaluate the dissimilarity of the structure of the factor analyses, rotated factor matrices were used to conduct transformation analysis. Similarities between the ideal role expectations of dentists and patients were studied. When studied with transformation analysis, the ideal role expectations of dentists and patients were found to differ for both the ideal patient and the ideal dentist. However, dentists and patients shared expectations concerning one characteristic of the ideal dentist i.e. the importance of mutual communication, which was also considered the most important characteristic of the ideal dentist. For the characteristics of the ideal patient, the two groups shared the same expectations concerning the manageability of the patient. Previous research has compared dentist and patient expectations based only on single statements. No reports based on factor analysed data have been published, but transformation analysis was found to provide a useful tool for statistical evaluation of the dissimilarity of the factor structures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Comparison of pit and fissure sealant utilization by pediatric and general dentists in Colorado.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey of Colorado pediatric and general dentists concerning attitudes toward and use of sealants. The survey results indicated that sealants were used in the following manner by pediatric vs. general dentists, respectively: 1) Routinely 73.4% vs. 40.1%; 2) Occasionally 15.6% vs. 32.6%; 3) Seldom 6.6% vs. 10.0%; 4) Do Not Use 4.4% vs. 17.3%. Reasons for limited or non-utilization of sealants by both groups included: 1) Not covered by insurance; 2) Inadvertent sealing in caries; 3) Do not last; 4) Not cost effective. Delegation of primary responsibility for sealant placement differed as follows between pediatric and general dentists, respectively: 1) Dentist 73.3% vs. 64.8%; 2) Hygienist 0% vs. 17.8%; 3) Assistant 26.7% vs. 17.4%. Continuing education courses on sealants had been attended by 62% of pediatric dentists and 16.9% of their auxiliaries and by 29.1% of general dentists and 6.3% of their auxiliaries. Approximately 50% of pediatric and general dentists expressed an interest in attending sealant courses. This study indicates that: 1) Colorado dentists report a relatively high sealant utilization rate. 2) Pediatric dentists place sealants more frequently than general dentists. 3) The most frequent reason for restricting sealant placement was lack of insurance coverage. 4) A need for continuing education of dentists and auxiliaries exists.

Colorado↗
PubMed2003

The shortened dental arch concept--attitudes of dentists in Tanzania.

OBJECTIVES: The shortened dental arch concept is a problem-oriented strategy to reduce complex restorative treatment in the posterior regions. The aim of this study was to determine the attitude of Tanzanian dentists about this concept. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all 77 dentists treating patients in Tanzania. The questionnaire contained items to assess the dentist's opinions such as dentist's judgement about the oral function of subjects with shortened dental arches, the type of treatment (or no treatment) of subjects with shortened dental arches and the reactions of patients to the proposal to shorten the dental arch. A short description about the problem-oriented approach and the shortened dental arch concept was included. RESULTS: Most of the responding dentists judged that shortened dental arches can provide satisfactory or acceptable chewing function (71%) and dental appearance (79%). Most dentists (89%) indicated that the shortened dental arch concept, as an example of a problem-oriented approach, has a useful place in clinical practice. However, most dentists (89%) inserted free-end acrylic partial dentures in these cases. Dentists with experience to apply the concept indicated that most of the patients have no objections after explanation of the proposal to shorten the dental arch. CONCLUSIONS: From this study it is concluded that the shortened dental arch concept is an acceptable strategy for dentists in Tanzania. However, many dentists doubt its implementation in clinical practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1992

Observations and concepts of the oral health consequences of tobacco use of Finnish periodontists and dentists.

The observations of Finnish periodontists and other dentists, and their concepts of the oral health consequences of tobacco use as well as their counseling on tobacco use, were surveyed from November 1987 to January 1988. A questionnaire was mailed to all 61 Finnish periodontists and to 535 other dentists; 37 periodontists (61%) and 432 of the other dentists (80%) responded. The periodontists enquired about and advised on smoking significantly more frequently than did the other dentists; 71% of the periodontists often or always enquired about, and 62% advised their patients on smoking. 31% of all dentists had patients who were users of smokeless tobacco, and 62% of those dentists had often or always advised the users to quit. Nearly all dentists had seen some tobacco-caused effects. Periodontists reported more frequently than the other dentists that they had observed more periodontitis, impaired healing of periodontitis and more changes in the oral mucosa in smokers compared with non-smokers. The majority of those who had seen users of smokeless tobacco had noticed changes in the oral mucosa and in the color of the gingiva. The majority of all dentists believed that heavy smoking may impair the host response in the periodontium, with periodontists believing in this more strongly than other dentists.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Dentist-assistant communication style: perceived gender differences in The Netherlands and Northern Ireland.

OBJECTIVES: To assess communication style differences with the (female) dental assistant, as perceived by male and female dentists. METHODS: Data were collected from 216 Dutch (male: 99; female: 117) and 261 Northern Irish (male: 135; female: 126) dentists (overall response rate: 60%). Respondents filled in a self-report questionnaire (one follow-up mailing), with 22 items on staff communication style. Using principal component analysis, four distinguishable factors could be extracted: businesslike leadership style (seven items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.87), friendly leadership style (seven items, alpha = 0.87), professional interacting style (four items, alpha = 0.83) and gender interacting style (four items, alpha = 0.83). RESULTS: manova indicated a main effect for gender [F(8,946) = 10.905, P < 0.001] and for country [F(4,474) =4.197, P = 0.002] on the communication style scales. Male dentists, compared with female colleagues, showed higher mean scores on businesslike leadership style and gender interacting style, whereas female dentists showed higher mean scores on friendly leadership style and professional interacting style. Dutch dentists showed higher mean scores on friendly leadership style and professional interacting style than their Northern Irish colleagues. No interaction effect between gender and country was found. Dentist's age and length of assistant's employment (in years) partly explained differences in means. CONCLUSION: Male and female dentists perceive their communication with the assistant differently; male dentists tend to be influenced by the gender differences, female dentists by striving for friendliness. Some country differences were found. Increasing influx of young female dentists underlines the relevance of this topic in dental education and for future research.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Influence of the patient's race on the dentist's decision to extract or retain a decayed tooth.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the patient's race on the dentist's decision to extract or retain a decayed tooth. METHODS: A probabilistic random sample of 297 dentists from Recife, Brazil, was used. Two case scenarios were presented to the dentists. Both scenarios showed a molar that was extensively decayed, but indicated for conservative treatment. The scenarios included a description of the patient and eight photographs of the clinical case, including a photograph of the patient's face. The dentists were asked to regard the patient as poor and then to decide whether to extract or retain the molar. However, although the scenarios were based on the same clinical case, the photographs of the patient's face were different. One scenario showed the photograph of a white patient whereas the other showed the photograph of a black patient. The first scenario was presented 2 months before the second so that the dentists would not remember the former. RESULTS: The dentist's decision varied significantly according to the patient's race, with dentists deciding to extract more frequently for the black patient than for the white patient (25.6% vs. 16.2%; P < 0.001). This racial variation occurred regardless of the demographic and socioeconomic variables of the dentists. It did, however, occur as a function of the setting of the dentist's practice. CONCLUSION: The patient's race may influence a dentist's decision whether to extract or retain a decayed tooth.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Dentists' attitudes and practice regarding smoking.

Dentists are a potentially valuable source of community education about the health effects surrounding tobacco use. The aims of this study were to provide Australian data on dentists' current practice regarding discussing smoking with patients, dentists' perceptions of the barriers to discussing smoking with patients and dentists' interest in discussing smoking with patients. A postal survey of all dentists who were members of the Hunter Branch of the Australian Dental Association in New South Wales was conducted. Dentists generally reported quite high levels of current activity regarding smoking. The majority of dentists reported asking at least some of their patients whether or not they smoked. Dentists reported that they discussed the possible oral effects of smoking with at least some of their smoking patients. Furthermore, they told at least some of their patients with smoking related disease that smoking may have contributed to their problems. Dentists identified a number of difficulties involved in helping patients quit smoking. These findings may be used to help guide future research and practice in involving dentists further in discussing smoking with patients.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2003

Business orientation and the willingness to distribute dental tasks of Dutch dentists.

AIM: Dentists have a dual professional role: they have to focus on good oral health in their patients and, at the same time, they have to organise their practices. The aim of this analysis was to assess the extent to which dentists can be seen as business-oriented and/or willing to delegate to dental team members and others, and to investigate which personal and practice characteristics of dentists can be regarded as determinants for these two aspects of their professional role. METHOD: The data were collected in 2000 by means of a written questionnaire sent to a random stratified sample of 790 dentists. RESULTS: 607 (77 per cent) dentists responded. Multivariate regression analysis showed that business oriented dentists distinguish themselves by having larger practices and a higher level of professional satisfaction. Furthermore, although to a lesser extent, on a regular basis, they treat patients from colleagues in the practice. There are proportionately fewer women dentists in this category. Dentists oriented on task distribution can also be typified by working in larger practices, but in addition they have a greater preventive treatment philosophy and have more hours of support provided by oral hygienists. CONCLUSION: Among Dutch dentists there exist clear differences in the way they take on their role as dentists with regard to business orientation and their willingness to distribute dental tasks.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

General dentists' attitudes toward delegation, information, and patient influence in a prosthodontic context.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate attitudes among general dentists in Sweden in relation to gender, age, prosthodontic activity, and dental delivery system (private or public). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 2,059 dentists, and a response rate of 76% (1,567 dentists) was achieved. Among those who responded, 50% were private practitioners and 50% were publicly employed practitioners; 42% were female and 58% were male. The questionnaire contained 10 statements aimed at measuring attitudes. Their dimensionality was analyzed using principal components analysis. The resulting factors were related to delivery system (public or private), gender, age, job satisfaction, and weekly working hours used for prosthodontics in multiple regression models. RESULTS: There was a wide variation in the answers to the statements, indicating great individual differences in opinions among dentists. Several distributions differed with respect to gender and delivery system, but the mean differences between various groups of dentists were small. The most affirmative attitude was shown for delegation of impression taking to auxiliaries (mean 6.7; SD 1.8), and the most negative attitude was shown for close cooperation between dentists (mean 1.8; SD 1.4). The factor analysis gave 3 factors, with a variance explanation of 57%. Regression models for the 3 attitude dimensions ("patient influence," "delegation," and "patient information") showed that female dentists felt more positive about delegation and information than male dentists. The explained variance was very low for all 3 models and varied from 0.01 to 0.05. CONCLUSION: Although the differences in attitudes between various groups of dentists were statistically significant, these differences were small in relation to the large variation in attitudes among individual dentists.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The role of dentists in dentistry.

The extent to which dentists influence the outcomes of dental care, compared to the effects of dental technology or patient variation, has not been well studied. A review of the literature on the personality and value structures of dentists and dental students reveals general trends involving preferences of concrete, utilitarian, unambiguous, and conventional situations that are classified and judged in terms of their potential for dentists' power and control and for relationships of helping others but avoiding mutual dependency. These findings are summarized in a hypothesis that dentists seek situations where they can exercise control and establish paternalistic relationships with others. The evidence about career satisfaction of dentists is difficult to interpret. Between 20 percent and 50 percent of dentists report that they would not choose to enter the profession again if given a chance. Yet the number leaving the profession voluntarily is less than the number of career changers in the general population by a factor of about 1 to 15. Career satisfaction of practitioners can be partially predicted from an understanding of dentists' personality and values. Factors such as uncooperative patients, incompetent staff, and government and insurance intrusions are major dissatisfiers; they threaten dentists' core need for control. Factors such as quality of work, which is under the control of dentists, are major satisfiers. The personalities and values of dentists and the expression of these in professional norms may function to limit our understanding of dentistry. Based on this analysis, eight predictions are offered about the profession.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oral and pharyngeal cancer: practices and opinions of dentists in British Columbia and Nova Scotia.

Oral and pharyngeal cancers are associated with high mortality rates, a situation usually attributed to late-stage diagnosis. Dentists in British Columbia and Nova Scotia were surveyed regarding their practices and opinions related to oral and pharyngeal cancer. In February 1998 a pretested, 41-item survey was mailed to a random sample of dentists in British Columbia (n = 817) and the population of dentists in Nova Scotia (N = 423). A reminder postcard and one additional mailing were sent to nonrespondents. Of the 670 dentists supplying usable responses (response rate 55.2%), only 56.7% agreed that their knowledge of the subject was current. Of 8 health history items, dentists assessed 5 on average, with most (88.0%) asking about the patients' current use of tobacco. A total of 72.7% of the responding dentists performed an oral cancer examination for all edentulous patients at every appointment, but 10.9% never did so. Similarly, 70.7% of the dentists always provided an oral cancer examination at the initial appointment for patients 40 years of age and older, but 9.8% never did so. Undergraduate training related to oral cancer examination was reported as good by only 52.2% of the dentists. About three-quarters of all dentists (77.0%) were interested in taking continuing education courses on this subject. Differences between the 2 provinces were not statistically significant (p > 0.01). Dentists in British Columbia and Nova Scotia could benefit from undergraduate and continuing education courses to increase their knowledge of health history assessment, examination for oral and pharyngeal cancers, and risk reduction strategies, such as counselling about tobacco cessation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pain management in school-aged children by private and public clinic practice dentists.

A mail survey of 198 Seattle dentists who treat children assessed their beliefs about pain control in school-aged children and examined the relationship of those beliefs to pain management behaviors. The survey population of general dentists and pediatric dentists in clinics and private practice had a response rate of 89.6%. Two of three dentists always use local anesthetic when doing restorations or extractions and also provide more anesthetic at the child's request. One in three dentists never provides postoperative medication following tooth extractions. Ten percent regularly deny child pain and many do not believe child pain reports are valid. Dentists who work in private practice are more likely to provide local anesthetic than are dentists who work in clinics. Dentists who desire more control over a child are less likely to provide local anesthetic. Dentists who question children about comfort are more likely to provide additional anesthetic based on a child's report of discomfort and to provide postoperative medication if the dentist perceives a dental procedure to be painful.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Provision of free and discounted dental services to selected populations: a survey of attitudes and practices of dentists attending the 1996 Dallas Midwinter Meeting.

An attitudes and practices survey of dentists attending the Dallas Midwinter Meeting in January 1996 in Dallas was conducted as a collaborative effort between the Dallas County Dental Society and the Baylor College of Dentistry. The survey was developed to help determine participating dentists' attitudes and practices in the area of provision of dental services on a discounted or free basis to disadvantaged patient groups. A total of 225 dentists responded to the survey. Of these surveyed dentists, 213 (94.6%) were in private practice and 199 (88.4%) described themselves as general dentists. A considerable amount of charitable dental services, discounted and free, was reported to be provided by the group of respondent dentists. A total of 152 (67.6%) of the dentists surveyed reported providing discounted or free care to elderly patients with low income, 125 (55.6%) provided such care to low-income patients without age restriction, and 137 (60.9%) cared for patients of record with temporary financial hardship. In other patient categories, 79 (35.1%) of the dentists provided free/discounted services to handicapped persons and 47 (20.9%) provided care to homebound patients. These findings concerning charitable practices by dentists were similar to those found in a comparable survey conducted by the American Dental Association in 1994. Dentists were fairly evenly split as to their preference where to volunteer services. Of the total respondents, 84 (40.6%) preferred providing services in their own office and 91 (44.0%) preferred to do so at a community health clinic that hosted volunteers.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2001

Health of dentists in southern Thailand.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and nature of some health and lifestyle problems of dentists in southern Thailand. METHOD: The design was a cross-sectional study using a self-report questionnaire distributed to all 220 dentists working in 14 provinces in southern Thailand in 1997. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-eight 178 (80.9%) dentists aged 22-54 years responded. Only about one third of dentists 65 (36.7%) reported exercising on a regular basis. Almost one fifth of dentists 35 (19.1%) reported that they consumed alcohol on a weekly basis. Few dentists 4 (2.4%) reported regular smoking. Almost all dentists reported that their practice of dentistry has increased stress or stress-related problems 171 (96.1%). More than two thirds of respondents had had some known or unknown systemic health problem since graduation 112 (71.8%), although most dentists reported having no systemic disease at present 104 (59.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The present study has indicated that dentists in southern Thailand report a high career prevalence of stress, a moderate career prevalence of work-related problems which may be related to job satisfaction, and moderate career prevalence of systemic disease. Further continuing education and investigation of appropriate interventions to improve rates of exercise amongst dentists in southern Thailand is needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Prevalence of emergency events in British dental practice and emergency management skills of British dentists.

Medical emergencies in dental practice are generally perceived as being rare but when an emergency does occur it can be life-threatening. The ability of the dentist to initiate primary management is the key to minimising morbidity and mortality. Accurate data on the prevalence of emergency events, required so that dentists can adequately prepare to deal with emergency situations, is sparse and obsolete. This study aimed to determine the current prevalence of medical emergencies and the perceived emergency management skills of dentists. A questionnaire, distributed to 887 dentists working in general dental practice across five counties of Northern England, produced a response rate of 34%. The most frequently reported emergency was vasovagal syncope (1.9 cases, per dentist per year), followed by hypoglycaemia (0.17), angina (0.17), epileptic fit (0.13), choking (0.09), asthma (0.06), hypertensive crisis (0.023) and anaphylaxis (0.013). Myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest were extremely rare with an incidence of 0.003 and 0.002 cases per dentist per year, respectively. The total prevalence of all emergency events (excluding syncope) was 0.7 cases per dentist per year. Only 20.8% of dentists felt competent to diagnose the cause of a collapse in the dental surgery. However the majority believed that they would be able to undertake initial treatment of most common emergencies. Despite this more than 50% felt unable to manage a myocardial infarction or anaphylaxis, and 49.7% did not know how to insert an oral airway or undertake an intravenous injection. Future postgraduate training in emergency care for dentists needs to be more accurately targeted to the known prevalence of emergencies and deficiencies in dentists' emergency skills.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Oral health and its determinants among Mongolian dentists.

This study compares the dental health of dentists with that of their population counterparts, and relates dentists' oral health to oral health behavior and professional preventive knowledge and orientation. A questionnaire requesting information on the dentists' oral health, preventive knowledge, and orientation and oral health behavior, was targeted at all actively practicing dentists (n = 250) in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. A self-reported dentigram served as the basis for assessing dental health, while the 1996 National Oral Health Survey provided data for comparison with population counterparts. The response rate was 98%. Compared to their general-population counterparts, younger dentists exhibited a similar level of caries experience (DMFT) and missing teeth (NMT), whereas older dentists exhibited a lower level. In all age groups, mean numbers of decayed teeth (DT) among dentists were much smaller than for their population counterparts, whereas mean numbers of filled teeth (FT) were much higher. Of all, 81% reported brushing their teeth twice daily or more, 62% used fluoride-containing toothpaste always or almost always, and 52% consumed sugar-containing foods between main meals less than once a day. The better oral health behavior of dentists was best explained by their greater preventive knowledge and their better dental health by better oral health behavior in logistic models. It is concluded that among these dentists there is room for improvement of their own oral health behavior. Towards this end, specially designed continuing education courses could serve to improve dentists' health-related knowledge and change their oral self-care behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Behavior of dentists and child patients during treatment.

This study is part of a larger research project which aims to analyze children's dental fear by making a detailed analysis of the behavioral interactions between dentists and anxious child patients. The behavior of 12 high- and 12 low-anxious children was recorded on videotape during two dental visits in which the children were treated by either experienced or inexperienced dentists. Results indicated a relation between the dentist's experience in treating anxious children and the behavior of child patients. In general, children treated by experienced dentists showed more fear-related behaviors. Furthermore, the behavior of the dentist was related to both his experience and the fear level of the child patient. Experienced dentists showed more communicative behaviors than the inexperienced dentists, but all dentists communicated more with high- than with low-anxious children. Experienced dentists worked faster than inexperienced dentists, but treatment of the high-anxious children was not more time-consuming than treatment of the low-anxious children.

Anxiety↗