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Compliance in a Norwegian periodontal practice
Oystein Fardal1, Anne C Johannessen, Gerard J Linden
1fardal@odont.uio.no
Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry
|January 14, 2005
Summary
Patient compliance with periodontal maintenance therapy was high (87%) in a Norwegian specialist practice. Factors like geography, culture, and referring dentists may influence adherence to long-term periodontal care.
Area of Science:
- Periodontology
- Dental Public Health
Background:
- Patient compliance with periodontal maintenance therapy is crucial for treatment success.
- Existing studies report low compliance rates, typically between 11% and 45%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess treatment acceptance and long-term compliance with periodontal maintenance therapy.
- To evaluate patient adherence within a specialist periodontal practice in Norway as an internal quality control measure.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 152 patients who completed periodontal therapy in 1988, assessed after 10 years.
- Examination of 624 patient records (1989-1993) to determine acceptance of proposed periodontal therapy.
Main Results:
- 87% of patients completing therapy in 1988 maintained compliance over ten years.
- No significant differences in compliance were found based on age, gender, disease severity, or cost.
- High-referring general dental practitioners had more non-complying patients.
Conclusions:
- A high level of patient compliance with periodontal maintenance therapy was observed in this specialist practice.
- Geographic, cultural, and stable rural population factors may contribute to high compliance.
- The role of referring general dental practitioners in patient compliance is significant.