title: Dental practitioners with a special interest in periodontics: the West Sussex experience.
abstract: The experience of a pilot service involving practitioners with a special interest in periodontics is described. The service functioned as a clinical network between the primary and secondary sector and featured consultant outreach. Between June 2006 and May 2007 it experienced 441 referrals. It improved patient access to periodontal care and was successful in targeting specific disease categories and in meeting key performance indicators. The service was non-surgical and emphasised patient self-efficacy. It produced highly effective clinical outcomes. It was well accepted by both patients and referring practitioners. It did not replace the need for a consultant-led service in the eyes of the referring practitioners. The BPE was used to identify suitable patients; audit indicated that there was a tendency for practitioners to underscore the level of periodontal disease.
authors.affiliation: Maxillofacial Unit, St Richard's Hospital, Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, West Sussex, UK.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Cheshire
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lesley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beckerson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zanjani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D019058:Community Networks; D019230:Dental Audit; D003729:Dental Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists; D004739:England; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000193:education; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010517:Periodontics / Q000193:education; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D055815:Young Adult