title: Reasons for patients' visits in the dental offices of Cracow in the years 2005-2006 and 2013-2014.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caries is a serious health problem affecting the Polish population, mostly due to a low level of health awareness, which is reflected in irregular check-ups and a tendency for patients to visit the dentist only when they are already experiencing pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to compare patients' reasons for visiting dental offices and the treatment they received during the years 2005-2006 and 2013-2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was obtained from 495 medical files stored in 4 randomly selected dental offices in Cracow. Information was gathered on age, sex, place of residence, reasons for visiting the dentist, referrals, frequency of dental visits and procedures performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed that women visited dental offices more frequently (56%) than men. The participants were aged between 1 and 91. The majority of the patients lived in large towns or cities (81.6%). Approximately 50% of the patients visited a dental office once a month. The study showed a significant increase in one-time visits (from 18.5% to 30.6%). The most frequent motivation for visiting a dental office was to receive conservative treatment, while the least common reasons were prophylaxis and tooth injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Throughout the period under review, changes occurred in the profile of the patients who visited dental offices during these periods. One alarming trend was the significant increase in the number of patients who visited dental offices only once (12%). The main reason why patients visited dental offices did not change--more than 60% came to have caries treated but often after a single visit they did not continue the treatment despite needing to do so.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine UJCM in Cracow.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine UJCM in Cracow.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Łoboda
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine UJCM in Cracow.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chomyszyn-Gajewska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003770:Dental Offices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult