Survey of Kansas and Missouri General Dentists Identifying Periodontal Referral Patterns

No Thumbnail Available

Meeting name

Sponsors

Date

Journal Title

Format

Thesis

Subject

Research Projects

Organizational Units

Journal Issue

Abstract

This investigation surveyed general dentists from Kansas and Missouri to identify factors which may impact how likely they are to refer to periodontists. The web-based survey probed areas of clinician demographics, practice location and characteristics, and periodontal treatment philosophy to see how those domains influenced referrals made to periodontists. Through the Kansas Dental Association (KDA) and the Missouri Dental Association (MDA), 2,819 potential recipients were contacted, yielding 221 responses. Dentists who practiced with at least one other dentist were more likely to refer (p=0.001) as were dentists who employed more than one hygienist (p=0.020). Offices that frequently provided scaling and root planing were more apt to refer (p<0.000). Those who expressed an interest in teledentistry reported referring less (p=0.032), indicating that supporting advancement of teledentistry may increase periodontal referrals. Therefore, factors in practice characteristics as well as periodontal treatment philosophy appear to influence periodontal referral patterns.

Table of Contents

Introduction -- Materials and methods -- Results -- Discussion -- Conclusions -- Literature cited -- Appendix A. IRB Approval -- Appendix B. Survey -- Appendix C. KDA e-mail text: prompting e-mail, survey email, reminder e-mail -- Appendix D. MDA Survey request -- Appendix E. Demographic Stratification of Periodontal Treatment Philosophy

DOI

PubMed ID

Degree

M.S.

Rights

License