Changes in the characteristics of patients attending an out-of-hours emergency dental service in Edinburgh.
A daily out-of-hours emergency dental service was established in Edinburgh in 1977. An analysis of some recent annual surveys carried out by the service shows that there has been an increasing trend for the patients to have experienced their dental problem for more than three days, to have travelled more than 10 miles to attend the clinic and not to have attended the dentist for more than a year. This analysis also reveals an increasing trend for people who seek treatment at the emergency service to have received routine treatment rather than emergency treatment on their last dental visit. There is evidence that the Lothian emergency dental service is developing its own clientele.
Department of Preventive Dentistry, University of Edinburgh, UK.
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Holmes
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Sutcliffe
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires