title: Outpatient visits by dentists: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan.
abstract: We conducted a cohort study of 7,760 dentists in Taiwan between 2003 and 2007 to assess the risk of outpatient visit among dentists. Control groups included physicians and other health personnel. Over the 5-yr study period, the dentist cohort made a total of 270,712 outpatient visits, representing an incidence rate of 7,038 visits /10(3) person-years. Compared to physicians, dentists experienced a significantly reduced covariate adjusted rate ratio (ARR) for all-cause visits (ARR=0.59, 95%CI=0.58-0.59), as well as for nearly all other causes, except neoplasm (ARR=1.06, 95%CI=1.02-1.09). Compared to other health personnel, the dentists still experienced a significantly reduced ARR for all causes (ARR=0.70), but had a slightly but significantly increased risk for endocrine/metabolic/immunity (ARR=1.04, 95%CI=1.02-1.05) and mental (ARR=1.04, 95%CI=1.01-1.07) disorders. Although the dentists in Taiwan utilized lesser outpatient visits than did their medical colleagues, they tended to have slightly higher rates of outpatient visits for neoplasm, endocrine/metabolic/immunity disorders, and mental illnesses. Policy makers and hospital administrators must not overlook dentists' potentially unseen health problems. A mandatory periodical physical examination for dentists can seriously be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Sin Lau Christian Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chang-Ta
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Shu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yu-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ming-Chung
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Chung-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003813:Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012306:Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors