Changes in admission rates for spreading odontogenic infection resulting from changes in government policy about the dental schedule and remunerations.
The government changed the system of payment to general dental practitioners on 1 April 2005 from a fee/item to a banding system. The figures collected have shown that there has been a 62% increase in the number of patients who require admission for surgical treatment of spreading odontogenic infections compared with the 3-year period before this date.
Burnham
Richard
R
Barts and the London NHS Trust, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Centre, The Royal London Hospital, John Harrison House, Philpot Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 1BB, United Kingdom. richardb980@aol.com
Bhandari
Rishi
R
Bridle
Chris
C
D000038:Abscess / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D032982:Contracts; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000601:surgery*; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013218:State Dentistry / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*