title: Impact of a restorative dentistry service on the prescription of apical surgery in a district general hospital.
abstract: The case records of a group of patients who had undergone periapical surgery in a district general hospital were examined and compared with the criteria agreed by a group of hospital restorative dentists as to whether apical surgery was appropriate rather than, at least initially, a non-surgical treatment option. Only 65% of the patients met the audit criteria. As a result, changes have been made to clinical practice, including a greater involvement of restorative clinicians in the decision-making process when apical surgery is under consideration.
authors.affiliation: Maxillofacial Unit, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Portsmouth.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beckett
mesh_terms: D003814:Dentistry, Operative; D004739:England; D006300:Health Services Misuse; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D010579:Petrous Bone / Q000601:surgery*