title: Factors associated with the use of emergency dental care facilities in a French public hospital.
abstract: This study was undertaken to qualitatively analyze patients' profiles and to identify the sociodemographic and oral health factors associated with emergency visits to the public dental service in Montpellier, France. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the dental care service at Montpellier Hospital. Socioeconomic and clinical variables were compared between the patients using the emergency dental care service and those utilizing the general dental services, which were by appointment. An evaluation of the results indicated that younger patients and people from lower socioeconomic groups used the emergency dental service more frequently. Unemployed people (OR = 1.60) and manual workers (OR = 1.86) were also more likely to use this service. The need for treatment of caries was significantly higher in the group that used the emergency service. It appeared that the two groups of patients had different attendance behavior and showed significantly different socioeconomic and oral health status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Public Health, Faculty of Odontology, University of Montpellier, France. paul.tramini@orange.fr
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tramini
authors.forename: Buthaïna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Al Qadi Nassar
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valcarcel
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gibert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003442:Crowns / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014478:Unemployment; D055815:Young Adult