title: Dental disease levels and reasons for emergency clinic attendance in patients seeking relief of pain in Auckland.
abstract: This study examined the reasons for attendance, duration of the problem, treatment expectations and oral health of patients seeking relief of pain at Auckland hospital dental departments and a private accident and emergency clinic. One-third of hospital-clinic participants and 15 percent of private-clinic participants had delayed treatment for more than 1 month. Sixty-three percent of hospital-clinic and 30 percent of private-clinic participants expected to receive an extraction. The hospital-clinic group had a mean of 5.0 (SD 3.9) decayed teeth, and the private clinic group a mean of 2.3 (SD 2.8) decayed teeth. Periodontal treatment needs were also significantly higher among participants attending the hospital clinics. Twenty-five percent of hospital-clinic participants had complex periodontal treatment needs. Further research is required to estimate the size of the population these groups represent and to investigate the reasons for these differences.
authors.affiliation: Dental Department, Capital Coast Health Wellington Hospital.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Whyman
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Treasure
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ayers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009909:Oral Health; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014098:Toothache / Q000628:therapy*