[Diagnostic and restorative behaviour in Dutch dentists' paediatric dental care]

The aim of this study was to determine what the approach of Dutch dentists is in the treatment of children. Prevention, X-ray diagnostics and restorative care were compared in four consecutive age groups (< 6 years old, 6-8, 9-11, 12-17 years). The insurance claims of 4550 dentists over a period of 3 consecutive years were studied. The findings showed that dentists who made use of X-rays and provided restorative care for children younger than 6 also provided restorative care for subsequent age groups on average 1.4-2.9, 1.3-2.5 and 1.2-1.8 times more than, respectively, dentists who did not make use of X-rays but did provide restorative care for children under 6 and dentists who neither made use of X-rays nor provided restorative care for children under 6. The first group of dentists also made more use of X-rays in the subsequent age groups: 3.7, 3.4 and 1.9 times respectively. On the basis of these results it can be concluded that starting restorative treatment and the use of X-rays for children younger than 6 is predictive for the quantity of care provided by dentists for the older groups of children.