The validity of a medical risk-related history for dental patients in Belgium

The aim of this study was to establish whether a patient-administered medical risk-related history (MRRH) for dental patients was valid. The MRRH, which was developed in the Netherlands, has now been tested in Belgium, where it was completed by total of 99 patients. Their answers were compared with the results of a verbal history, taken by a physician experienced in pre-assessment control. This verbal history was considered the 'gold standard'. The sensitivity and specificity of the medical questionnaire proved to be sufficiently high (88 per cent and 98 per cent respectively) and Cohen's Kappa displayed close agreement (0.87). These figures were only slightly lower than those obtained in Holland. The MRRH is valid for the registration of medical problems in dental patients but the answers need to be checked personally by the dental practitioner. Since the present trial was a limited one, the study will be expanded to nine countries in Europe.