Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2440/57122
Citations
Scopus Web of Science® Altmetric
?
?
Type: Journal article
Title: Public dental service utilization among adults in South Australia
Author: Luzzi, L.
Spencer, A.
Citation: Australian Dental Journal, 2009; 54(2):154-160
Publisher: Australian Dental Assn Inc
Issue Date: 2009
ISSN: 0045-0421
1834-7819
Statement of
Responsibility: 
L Luzzi and AJ Spencer
Abstract: Background: Longitudinal patterns of public dental service use may reflect access issues to public dental care services. Therefore, patterns of dental service use among South Australian adult public dental patients over a 3½-year period were examined. Methods: Public dental patients (n = 898) initially receiving a course of emergency dental care (EDC) or general dental care (GDC) at baseline were followed for up to 3½ years. Patient clinical records were accessed electronically to obtain information on dental visits and treatment received at those visits. Results: Some 70.7 per cent of EDC and 51.3 per cent of GDC patients returned for dental treatment post-baseline. EDC patients returned within a significantly shorter time period post-baseline, received significantly more courses of care and were visiting more frequently than GDC patients. A greater proportion of EDC patients received oral surgery, restorative, endodontic and prosthodontic services, but fewer received periodontic services. EDC patients received significantly more oral surgery and fewer preventive services per follow-up year, on average, than GDC patients. Large proportions of EDC (52.4 per cent) and GDC (63.8 per cent) patients who returned sought emergency care post-baseline. Conclusions: Patients appeared to be cycling through emergency dental care because of lack of access to general care services, highlighting access problems to public dental care
Keywords: Dental service use
emergency dental care
public dental care
DOI: 10.1111/j.1834-7819.2009.01109.x
Published version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1834-7819.2009.01109.x
Appears in Collections:Aurora harvest 5
Dentistry publications

Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.