Dental care needs and demands in patients attending the dental hospital of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital's Complex Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
To compare the pattern of need and demand for dental care in settings where services are paid for through government sponsored insurance programs and out of pocket by individuals.


METHODS
Study consisted of first visit patients attending the Dental Hospital. The assessment of normative treatment needs was done. The tooth based treatment needs were assessed by the WHO basic methods and the periodontal needs were assessed by the periodontal need systems PTNS.


RESULTS
More males had sought treatment than females. In both sexes, most of the patients demanding treatment belonged to the 17-34 year age group. There was no statistically significant difference between age groups (P = 0.65). 55.4, 8.1 and 1.4 percents sought care for toothache, caries without concomitant pain and dental check-up respectively. Oral surgical care was considered necessary for the main complaint in 50.1% of cases. However, the age group 17-34 year old needed more restorative care than periodontal and the > 65 age group requested more extractions.


CONCLUSIONS
The expressed need or demand for dental care falls short of the normative need. It should therefore be the aspiration of appropriate government ministry and health care providers to attempt converting normative needs into demand for care.
Oginni
A O
AO
Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007347:Insurance, Dental; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D009549:Nigeria