A longitudinal study of the dental care of adults in the general dental service in Scotland: the first 6 years, 1988-1994.
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of routine dental care for adults attending the general dental service in Scotland, in a more detailed manner than is currently possible from national data sets.


METHODS
Cohort study in the general dental service.


METHODS
The cohort consisted of 992 Scottish dentate adults who participated in the adult dental health survey of 1988, conducted by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Details of subsequent treatment undertaken in the general dental service were provided by Dental Practice Division, Edinburgh.


METHODS
Production of patient-specific and tooth-specific data on dental attendance and treatment.


RESULTS
71% of the cohort attended at least once in the 6 years. Registration levels, following the introduction of the continuing care contract, reached 42-44%. Observed lapses in registration illustrate the changing membership of the relatively static level of registration year-on-year. Vulnerability to treatment of different tooth sites is illustrated graphically.


CONCLUSIONS
Cohort studies provide valuable information on patterns of attendance and treatment needed for planning of dental health services. Growing computer power and increasing demands for management data may mean that future work of this nature can be more appropriately undertaken at the population level.
Davies
J A
JA
Dental Health Services Research Unit, University of Dundee, Dental School, Scotland.
Nugent
Z J
ZJ
Pitts
N B
NB
Smith
P A
PA
D000328:Adult; D019352:Censuses; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003201:Computers; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003752:Dental Health Services; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006285:Health Planning; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class