FACTORS AFFECTING THE AMOUNT OF LONG-TERM RESTORATIVE DENTAL TREATMENT PROVIDED TO 100 PATIENTS BY 20 DENTISTS IN 3 ADELAIDE PRIVATE PRACTICES

Apart from the effects of the frequency of patient attendance for dent al examination, and of a change of dentist, little is known of those f actors which may influence the amount of treatment provided in dental practice. The present study investigated during 1992 the effects of se ven factors on the amount of treatment provided for 100 adult patients treated by 20 male dentists over many years in three selected Adelaid e private practices. The amounts of particular types of restorative tr eatments provided were significantly related to patient age, gender an d frequency of attendance, and to practice location, change of dentist and number of changes of dentist, and to the experience or time since graduation of the dentist. These factors were of special significance for the number of crowns provided, most of which were placed in older patients by more experienced dentists. But, there was no evidence of increased numbers of direct placement restorations being received by p atients who attended more frequently or who changed their dentists.