Do check-up intervals correspond to caries indices in the free public dental service in Helsinki, Finland?

Abstract

Objective: To compare check-up intervals proposed for 0 to 18-year-old children and adolescents receiving free public dental care, in relation to caries indices and dentist's characteristics.

Basic research design: Data on check-ups from municipal ADP files of the Helsinki City Health Department for 1999 were evaluated. Check-up (examination) intervals proposed for the target patients were correlated to patients' caries indices and to dentists' age and gender.

Setting: Public dental clinics of the Helsinki City Health Department.

Participants: In total, 48,040 patients whose check-ups were conducted by 140 dentists.

Main outcome measures: Length of check-up intervals and dentists' ability to differentiate between patients by caries indices.

Results: The mean check-up interval was 16.4 months (SD 5.0). In all age groups, mean check-up intervals proposed were shorter the higher the caries indices. Check-up intervals ranged from 3 to 36 months, with considerable variations present among patients in no-caries, past-caries, low-caries and high-caries groups. Dentists' ability to differentiate between patients by caries indices varied widely.

Conclusions: To optimise the use of dental care resources, more emphasis should be placed on selection of individual check-up intervals by encouraging dentists to differentiate between patients.