title: Factors that dentists use to decide whether or not to render a patient edentulous. Part 1. A qualitative study of East Lancashire general dental practitioners' views.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the factors that dentists use to decide whether to render a patient edentulous, prior to developing a questionnaire to investigate the factors that dentists use when making this decision.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a qualitative study involving two groups of seven dentists practising in primary care in East Lancashire who were given scenarios involving patients of different types to facilitate discussion and identify all factors. Audio recordings were used during the focus groups and were subsequently fully transcribed. Two members of the research team independently coded the transcripts and then used thematic analysis to identify key themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of the results identified 12 factors that the dentists considered when making a patient edentulous. These were caries, periodontal disease, position of the teeth, aesthetics, bone support, the transition from partial dentures, patient motivation, medicolegal issues, age of the patient, patient choice, cost of treatment, and the dentist's attitude and skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dentists identified a large number of factors that they might consider before making a patient edentulous. There was a consensus that the change should be made gradually, if possible.
authors.affiliation: oliver.pearce@tiscali.co.uk
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gedling
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Whittle
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tickle
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mallinson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000473:pathology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000473:pathology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology; D003829:Denture, Partial; D004739:England; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D017144:Focus Groups; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D009042:Motivation; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous; D010358:Patient Participation; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D014081:Tooth Extraction