Audit in orthodontic practice: how well do we communicate with our referring practitioners?

A questionnaire survey of 102 dental practitioners who refer patients to our specialist practice was undertaken to determine how satisfied they were with our current communication methods. Eighty-five replies were received (83 per cent). Seventy-two per cent felt that they were kept sufficiently informed about treatment decisions and progress. Almost all the practitioners were satisfied with our current extraction letter arrangements and with our practice of referring patients requiring oral surgery procedures directly to a local oral surgeon. Forty-six per cent of respondents noted a lapse in attendance by some patients undergoing active orthodontic treatment and 40 per cent requested more information regarding our waiting list. In general, 34 per cent of our referring practitioners felt that our communication methods could be improved to some degree, and a number of suggested improvements were made. Additional information was also obtained on referral patterns and the practitioners' own involvement with providing orthodontic treatment.