Trends in the prescription of radiographs for comprehensive care patients in U.S. and Canadian dental schools

Abstract

Results of this 1992 survey are compared to results from 1977 and 1987 surveys to establish long-term trends in radiographic prescribing practices for dentulous adult comprehensive care patients in U.S. and Canadian dental schools. The major trends include a decline in prescribing both an intraoral full-mouth series and panoramic radiograph (46 percent to 19 percent to 9 percent of schools from 1977 to 1987 to 1992, respectively). These changes were complemented by an increase in prescribing a full-mouth series only (32 percent to 48 percent to 57 percent, respectively), and an increase in the use of selection criteria (2 percent to 19 percent to 26 percent, respectively). Between 1987 and 1992 there was little change in the preferred examination for the edentulous adult patient, and small changes in the preferred examination for the child patient.