title: A five-year evaluation of an NHS dental practice-based specialist minor oral surgery service.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the findings of an evaluation of an NHS dental practice-based minor oral surgery service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Service evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  NHS specialist practice in England.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients and referring practitioners.
  
  
  METHODS
  analysis of activity, patient and referring practitioner satisfaction data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Numbers and case-mix treated; non-attendance; antibiotic prescribing; complication rates; patients and referring practitioner satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5,796 treatment appointments were arranged, with a median waiting time from receipt of referral to treatment of 35 days. Treatment provided included: surgical removal of third molars and non-third molars, surgical endodontics and other surgical and oral medicine cases (28.3%, 53.3%, 3.5%, and 15.0% of cases, respectively). Antibiotics were prescribed at 13.1% of all treatment appointments and 2.5% required appointments for post-operativecomplications. All but one patient reported overall satisfaction and over 98% strongly agreed/agreed with positive attitudinal statements about the oral surgeon's communication/information giving, technical competence and understanding/acceptance. 70.1% of patients were seen on time and under 1% were seen more than 15 minutes late. Some 83.1% felt the standard of service was better than expected from a hospital and none felt it was worse. More than 85% of referring practitioners agreed that: waiting times were shorter than at the hospital; urgent problems were seen quickly; and, the referral process was easy and understandable. Over 98% either strongly agreed or agreed that they were happy with the service provided.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A range of minor oral surgery procedures can be provided with low complication rates, short waiting times, acceptable accessibility and high levels of patient and referring practitioner satisfaction from a specialist NHS dental practice-based service.
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield S10 4TA, UK. t.dyer@sheffield.ac.uk
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Dyer
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D013511:Minor Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013039:Specialties, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013218:State Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom