[The objective assessment of the quality of oral health care and development of quality indicators]

Abstract

Public health care administration and decision-makers need appropriate tools and information to assess and monitor oral health needs and improve the performance of the oral health system. The aim of the article is to introduce the available methods of measurement of the quality of service, to give a brief summary considering the role of quality indicators in domestic and international sources and the European indicator project (EGOHID) and to introduce ICDAS (International Caries Detection and Assessment System), the method used for clinical examinations. The clinical indicators - that are produced from data gained from the questionnaires and screenings--provide an opportunity to improve and develop quality. Quality indicators are objective measure of the process or outcome of patient care. The 40 indicators were created by the experts of EGOHID program which are described in four categories. Part A is indicators for monitoring the oral health of children and adolescents, Part B is in general population, Part C is indicators for monitoring the oral health systems, Part D concerns indicators for monitoring the oral health quality of life. The purpose of developing public health care and--within it--dental care is the effective use of resources and besides it, reaching the popular level of health gain for which it is a necessary tool when forming and continuously developing the quality approach of providers.