Development of dental status and treatment behavior among Norwegian adults 1973-85

Utilization rates, types of dental services received and reports on number of teeth present were studied through seven sets of cross-sectional data collected in 1973, '77, '79, '81, '83 and '85. Personal interviews performed by trained interviewers were held with nationwide probability samples, each of 1500 persons covering the Norwegian population aged 15 and above. During the 12-yr period, the percentage of the samples reporting to have 20 or more teeth increased from 63 in 1973 to 74 in 1985, while the percentage of edentulous subjects dropped from 16 to 12. The time interval since the last dental visit decreased continuously: in 1973, 58% of the sample reported to have paid a dental visit during the last year, in 1983, 70%. Correspondingly, a higher proportion of the samples stated they were regular treatment attenders (52% in 1973 and 67% in 1985), while the proportion of "irregulars" dropped. Although the regularity of the visits probably was somewhat overreported, the favorable trend was substantiated by the information on services received: extractions, denture services and fillings diminished, while preventive and "other" services gained importance. Possible explanations and implications for dental practice and education are discussed.