[Edentulous patients visiting a dental ombudsman. Their questions and problems]

Data are presented of 321 edentulous patients (women 67%), mean age 65 years, who visited a dental ombudsman in the period September 1980-May 1987. Many of these patients had several complaints: 41.5% three and more. Many of the problems (134 patients) are behavioural and psychological by nature. The majority of the patients (65%) ask for advice during the consultation. One may get the impression that this group of patients has had these problems already for a longer period and that they feel that a general practitioner can't help them effectively. For this special group of patients a dental ombudsman may serve as a useful mediator.