Patient information in dentistry: the standard dental treatment form, a French health policy

In France, the information provided to the patient by the dentist is ensured by the mandatory delivery of a standard dental treatment form (SDTF). This form has undergone a certain number of changes, in particular as a result of legislative interventions. More recently, the implementation of the 100% health reform has confirmed the place of the SDTF in the political ambition to improve access to dental care.

This article presents the issues and changes of the SDTF in France over a period of 25 years. The study is based on a literature review supplemented by a qualitative analysis using semi-directed interviews with actors involved in oral health policies.

The ambition of a SDTF is the result of a common approach initiated by the dental profession and insurers at the end of the 1990s. Subsequently, lawmakers became involved in the design of the form, making it mandatory. Over the years, the SDTF become particularly exhaustive, making its application and understanding by patients complex. According to the public control authority, the rate of non-application of the SDTF by dental surgeons remains high.

The SDTF now occupies an essential place in dental health services in France. However, this study highlights the difficulties for the actors involved in oral health policies to reach a lasting consensus allowing its full application, in the interest of patients.