Knowledge of dental services provided: investigations in an elderly population

During a survey into the dental health of 233 elderly people in the Halton Health Authority, subjects' knowledge of the services provided was investigated. Only 5.7% of the sample were found to be regular attenders and assessed need was found to be far greater than perceived need. Questions were set out to discover attitudes to the service, investigated reasons for non-attendance, knowledge of domiciliary visiting arrangements, where a dental surgery was situated, how subjects could find out about N.H.S. dental charges, costs of dentures and if subjects had a problem in their mouth, who they would turn to for help. Results were analysed by computer using the Survey-Plus programme, which allowed differences between residential groups to be compared. Suggestions are made for improvements in care provision for the elderly and education of those in contact with them.