A simple technique for data management in general dental practice audit

Abstract

General practice audit is essential in the process of developing an evidence-based approach to dental care. The CHAID (CHi-Squared Automatic Interaction Detector) statistical software package is both practical and user-friendly for many simple applications. The types of questions asked in general practice audit projects will frequently be suitable for analysis using this technique. This may include the identification of patients who are likely to fail appointments and place an additional financial burden on the practice. This paper illustrates the potential value of CHAID to general dental practitioners (GDPs) by using examples of commonly cited dental audit topics. This paper aims to illustrate how a simple statistical package (SPSS CHAID) may be of use for both audit and practice management activities.