A 2-year retrospective study of demand for dental care from Scottish school leavers

After leaving school young adults in the United Kingdom are no longer eligible to receive care from the School Dental Service. Patients who have previously been treated by the Service are obliged to seek care elsewhere. The aim of the study was to see how effectively a group of Scottish school leavers coped with the change. The study population was 912 school leavers. The method depended upon a retrospective study of clinical records relating to the year before leaving school and the following year. During the last year at school, 48% of the subjects received treatment from three sources: 30% were treated by a general practitioner, 19% by the school service and 2% by the hospital service. During the 2nd year of the study, 69% of those who had earlier been treated by a general practitioner again requested dental care compared with only 40% of those who had earlier been treated by the school service and 30% of those who had not sought dental care during their last year at school. Recommendations are made for encouraging an increased demand for care from those who have formerly been treated by the school service.