The use of dental services among Norwegian adults in 1973

The dental treatment pattern and its determinants were surveyed in 1973 by interviews with a sample comprising 1,632 persons drawn to cover the total Norwegian population aged 15 and above. In all, 58% of the interviewees stated having visited a dentist during the year prior to the interview. In contrast, 16% had not consulted a dentist for at least 5 years. Fifty-five percent of the sample reported having received fillings at the last dental visit and 15% reported having received some periodontal and/or preventive treatment. Regular (at least annual) treatment attendance was claimed by 52% of the sample. However, some respondents had seemingly embellished their treatment behavior, and a relatively valid estimate for the current proportion of regular treatment attenders was considered to be 40% of the adult population in Norway. Sex and geographic region were found to be the most influential predictors of the recent treatment pattern, whereas school dental treatment had a major influence in youth. Dental conditions including the wearing of dentures was the reason most often given for not seeing a dentist on a regular basis.