title: Patients' perception of own efforts versus clinically observed outcomes of non-surgical periodontal therapy in a Norwegian population: an observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most periodontal intervention studies have focused on biomedical qualities like change in pocket depth and clinical attachment levels. Very few studies have described patient response in terms of how patients' general lives are affected by disease, treatment, and communication with therapy providers. Thus the aim of the present study was to investigate patient response to systematic periodontal information, motivation and treatment strategy (primary aim) by comparing the patients' perception of own efforts and results with those clinically registered in a trans-sectional, observational study (secondary aim).
  
  
  METHODS
  One year after treatment of 184 patients, 152 completed a questionnaire covering aspects of received oral health information and instruction, expectations, communication with the therapeutic team, behavioral change, self-perceived outcomes and satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 90% of the patients were satisfied with the interaction with the specialist team. 98% were satisfied with the information and instruction they had been given. 84% said that the information had been necessary to make them change their behavior towards better oral hygiene. Pain and discomfort, as well as bleeding were reduced substantially from before to after treatment, and 28 patients reported to have stopped smoking. In all questions regarding well-being there were statistically significant changes towards positive impact following therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periodontal treatment, including customized information and education on the etiology and pathogenesis, prevention and treatment as well as maintenance of periodontal diseases resulted in a high degree of short- and long term compliance, and very good patient centered outcomes, which again had a positive impact on the patients' satisfaction. The patient centered outcomes correlated mostly with the compared clinical endpoints.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01318928.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, POB 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. j.f.vatne@odont.uio.no.
authors.forename: Jon F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Vatne
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, POB 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. p.e.gjermo@odont.uio.no.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gjermo
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, POB 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. leiv.sandvik@odont.uio.no.
authors.forename: Leiv
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sandvik
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, POB 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. hpreus@odont.uio.no.
authors.forename: Hans R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Preus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009042:Motivation; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000193:education; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D057747:Periodontal Debridement / Q000523:psychology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D012649:Self Concept; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D008795:Metronidazole