title: Evaluation of a New Self-Reported Tool for Periodontitis Screening.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periodontitis is still highly prevalent in industrial population whereas at the same time appropriate screening programs are missing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate, a self-reported questionnaire about periodontal risk factors in combination with the Periodontal Screening Index (PSI) to identify an existing need for periodontal treatment combined with the early recognition of high-risk patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total 200 patients took part in the questionnaire based study and were examined using the PSI. Thereafter the participants were divided into two groups, subjects with periodontitis (Group 1; PSI 0-2) and subjects without periodontitis (Group 2; PSI 3-4). The answers were evaluated using a point system ranging from 0 to 8, based on known periodontal risk factors and their assumed degree of influence. Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were applied to examine the overall discriminatory power, sensitivity, specificity and corresponding cut-off points of the self-reported periodontal disease scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference between Group 1 and 2 concerning the majority of the inquired items (12 of 16, p<0.05). The distribution of the individual total score exhibited a high statistical significance (p<0.001) of robustness in terms of differing definitions of periodontitis. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) was 0.912 with a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 76%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The questionnaire produced a reliable assessment of the individual risk (total score) and the need for periodontal treatment as well as the differentiation between gingivitis and periodontitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient-based data (clinical variables and periodontal risk factors of periodontitis) were adequate to make a preliminary assessment of a possible need for periodontal treatment.
authors: Faculty, Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, Centre for Periodontology, University Hospital of Leipzig , Leipzig, Germany .
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Renatus
authors: Clinical Research Organisation , Hamm, Germany .
authors: Tanja
authors: T
authors: Kottmann
authors: Professor for Stochastics, Faculty of Informatics/Mathematics at the HTW Dresden , Dresden, Germany .
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Schwarzenberger
authors: Professor, Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, Centre for Periodontology, University Hospital of Leipzig , Leipzig, Germany .
authors: Holger
authors: H
authors: Jentsch
keywords: Periodontal disease; Public health; Questionnaire