[What is the best way to recruit patients for primary care programs of children's oral health?].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the results obtained by two systems of recruiting patients in terms of: number of patients recruited, number of consultations requested, and number of half-yearly check-ups performed.


METHODS
Retrospective and observational.


METHODS
Primary care.


METHODS
1868 school-children from 6 to 14 in the Burela Health Area (Lugo).


RESULTS
The system based on the health centre recruited 616 children and led to 759 requests for consultation; whereas the system based on the school recruited 1252 children and 507 requests (123% vs 40%; p < 0.05). 23% of the school-children attended their half-yearly check-up under the first system, while 21% did so under the second.


CONCLUSIONS
Check-ups of children at the health centre in their parents' presence seems to answer better the objective of introducing the bucco-dental health programme into the Health Area's child population.
Varela Centelles
P
P
Doctor en Odontología. Máster en Salud Pública Oral y Atención Comunitaria. Centro de Salud Burela (Lugo).
Martínez
A
A
Seoane
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D011313:Preventive Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016730:Program Development; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D013030:Spain