Factors influencing choice of dental treatment by private general practitioners

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dc.contributor.authorBrennan, D.
dc.contributor.authorSpencer, A.
dc.date.issued2002
dc.descriptionCopyright © 2002 Lawrence Erlbaum Association
dc.description.abstractService rate variations have focused attention on treatment decisions. The aims of this study were to examine factors considered in choosing treatments, to classify dentists in terms of clinical decision making, and to investigate the association of decision making with services provided. From a random sample of dentists (response rate 60.3%) treatment constraints (15.0%), periodontal status (12.1%), tooth status (11.3%), mouth status (10.1%), and patient factors (9.8%) were considered important factors across six alternative treatment pair choice scenarios. Cluster analysis of the treatment choice scenarios produced one cluster that reflected patient preferences, another that reflected treatment constraints such as cost, and a third that reflected oral health factors. Compared with the oral health cluster, dentists in the constraints cluster had higher rates (p < .05) of extractions (rate ratio [RR] = 1.49), bridge work (RR = 1.77), and dentures (RR = 1.32), whereas dentists in the patient cluster had higher restoration rates for two-surface ionomers (RR = 2.45) and resins on three or more surfaces (RR = 1.50) and other preventive services (RR = 1.78) such as oral hygiene instruction. Although a range of factors influenced treatment choice, a limited set accounted for the majority of responses, with cost a major determinant, ahead of oral health status and patient preference. Decision-making style was associated with service provision.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityDavid S. Brennan and A. John Spencer
dc.identifier.citationInternational Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2002; 9(2):94-110
dc.identifier.doi10.1207/S15327558IJBM0902_02
dc.identifier.issn1070-5503
dc.identifier.issn1532-7558
dc.identifier.orcidBrennan, D. [0000-0002-7888-0920]
dc.identifier.orcidSpencer, A. [0000-0002-3462-7456]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/1536
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherLawrence Erlbaum Assoc Inc
dc.relation.grantNHMRC
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0902_02
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectDMF Index
dc.subjectOral Hygiene Index
dc.subjectPeriodontal Index
dc.subjectDental Care
dc.subjectGeneral Practice, Dental
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectMiddle Aged
dc.subjectFees, Dental
dc.subjectSouth Australia
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectPractice Patterns, Dentists'
dc.titleFactors influencing choice of dental treatment by private general practitioners
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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