title: A pilot study of patients' views of an oral health scoring system.
abstract: An oral health scoring system (Oral Health Score: OHS) has been designed to provide a numerical measure of the overall state of a patients oral health by means of a series of simple clinical examinations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess, by means of a questionnaire, patients opinions of the value of the OHS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight general dental practitioners who used the OHS were asked to participate in the project. The participating dentists were requested to explain the aims of the project to 50 patients. Patients who agreed to participate were asked to complete a questionnaire after a visit during which the OHS was used. These patients were provided with a reply-paid envelope for the return of the questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Completed usable questionnaires were received from 315 patients. Of respondents, 97% considered that the OHS gave them a better understanding of the condition of their mouth and 98% considered that the OHS was a good method for communication between dentist and patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicate that, within the study group, the OHS is considered by a large majority of patients to be a good method for communication of the patient's oral health between dentist and patient.
authors.affiliation: Primary Dental Care Research Group, University of Birmingham School of Dentistry, Birmingham, UK. f.j.t.burke@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busby
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McHugh
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires