Non-traumatic dental presentations to the emergency department in Gisborne Hospital during 2024

Our aim was to describe non‑traumatic dental presentations (NTDPs) to the Gisborne Hospital emergency department (ED) during 2024.

This retrospective observational study reviewed all NTDPs to the Gisborne Hospital ED in 2024. Data extracted from hospital electronic medical records included: 1) patient demographic characteristics; 2) New Zealand Index of Deprivation (NZDep); 3) duration in ED; 4) diagnoses and 5) management. Demographic characteristics, duration in ED, diagnoses and management were compared between NZ European and Māori patients. Logistic regression was performed to identify variables associated with the need for inpatient admission.

Three hundred and thirty-four NTDPs were identified (age range 1-82 years old). Most presentations involved the younger working-age group (19-44 years old; 67.1%), residents of urban Gisborne (76.2%) and people living in areas of high socio-economic deprivation (NZDep levels 7-10; 90%). Māori comprised the majority of presentations (63.5%), consistent with the demographic profile of Tairāwhiti. A higher proportion of Māori patients than NZ European patients lived in areas of higher socio-economic deprivation and received an analgesia prescription, consistent with broader inequities in access to dental care. Inpatient admission was more common from those who had repeat visits or dental-related infections.

Oral health services in Tairāwhiti need to be responsive to a young, predominantly Māori population and to communities facing high socio-economic deprivation. There are inequities between New Zealand hospital dental services received by NTDPs. There needs to be national-level policy to look at establishing a regional hospital dental department to provide equitable dental care. Enhancing community-level targeted pathways to navigate barriers to access dental care is also essential.