Clinical Characteristics and Dental Treatment of Patients Attending a UK Dental Hospital-A Descriptive Study

To describe the clinical characteristics and dental treatment for patients treated at a dental hospital in the United Kingdom.

This descriptive study utilized anonymized routinely collected electronic health record data from dental patients who attended Leeds Dental Institute, collected from 2014 to 2023. Patient characteristics, comorbidities and completion of dental treatment were reported through descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation [SD]; percentage) and by clinic attended.

A total of 109,718 patients were included in this study, of whom 58,964 (54%) were female, and 43,828 (40%) lived in the most deprived areas in England. The most frequently recorded comorbidities were joint or bone problems (n = 4913, 5%), chest or breathing problems (n = 4619, 4%), and heart problems (n = 4455, 4%). Across clinic groups, the proportion of patients with at least one recorded comorbidity was highest among those attending periodontal/restorative clinics (24%) and acute dental care clinics (19%). Less than half of all patients (n = 52,655, 48%) completed their dental treatment. Oral surgery had the highest percentage of patients who completed their treatment (n = 10,459, 71%).

The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics reported in this study reflect a large population of dental patients from Leeds and the surrounding region. The findings of this study are consistent with literature showing sociodemographic trends in dental attendance. Future linkage of dental electronic health records with hospital records could improve understanding of the complexities of oral-systemic associations further.