Profiling providers of orthodontic services in general dental practice. 1991

R M Jacobs, and S E Bishara, and J R Jakobsen
College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City.

This study was designed to ascertain whether general practitioners who provide some orthodontic treatment to a relatively large proportion of their patients tend to limit themselves to the treatment of simple cases while they continue to refer more difficult cases or whether a high volume of orthodontic treatment is linked to an expanded scope of treatment and fewer referrals. Data pertaining to volume, scope, and other correlates of orthodontic services in general practice were obtained through a survey of dentists currently in general practice in Iowa. Of 1159 questionnaires mailed out, 728 (62.8%) were returned. To determine how the values of recorded variables differ among the providers of high and low volumes of orthodontic services and to determine whether these differences are significant, chi 2 tests of independence were calculated. The results obtained were used to generate descriptive measures of the profiles of providers of a high volume of orthodontic services in general practice. These profiles indicated that providers of a high volume of orthodontic treatment (1) performed the same amount of limited orthodontic treatment as providers of a low volume of orthodontic treatment; (2) performed significantly more major orthodontic treatment; (3) used significantly more fixed appliances, functional appliances, and headgears, but not removable appliances; (4) took significantly more hours of continuing education in orthodontics; and (5) referred significantly fewer patients to orthodontic specialists. In view of the projected increase in the amount of orthodontics performed in general practice, these findings suggest that, in the future, relatively more major orthodontic treatment is likely to be provided by general practitioners.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007400 Interprofessional Relations The reciprocal interaction of two or more professional individuals. Etiquette, Medical,Medical Etiquette,Relations, Interprofessional
D007484 Iowa State bounded on the north by Minnesota, on the east by Wisconsin and Illinois, on the south by Missouri, and on the west by Nebraska and South Dakota.
D009970 Orthodontics A dental specialty concerned with the prevention and correction of dental and oral anomalies (malocclusion).
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D012017 Referral and Consultation The practice of sending a patient to another program or practitioner for services or advice which the referring source is not prepared to provide. Consultation,Gatekeepers, Health Service,Hospital Referral,Second Opinion,Consultation and Referral,Health Service Gatekeepers,Hospital Referrals,Referral,Referral, Hospital,Referrals, Hospital,Consultations,Gatekeeper, Health Service,Health Service Gatekeeper,Opinion, Second,Opinions, Second,Referrals,Second Opinions
D004498 Education, Dental, Continuing Educational programs designed to inform dentists of recent advances in their fields. Dental Education, Continuing,Continuing Dental Education,Continuing Dental Educations,Dental Educations, Continuing,Education, Continuing Dental,Educations, Continuing Dental
D005792 General Practice, Dental Nonspecialized dental practice which is concerned with providing primary and continuing dental care. Dental General Practice,Dental General Practices,General Practices, Dental,Practice, Dental General,Practices, Dental General
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000078329 Workforce The number of people working or available for work or service. Human Resources,Labor Supply,Manpower,Staffing,Womanpower,Human Resource,Labor Supplies,Manpowers,Staffings,Supply, Labor,Womanpowers,Workforces

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