Research abstract
British Dental Journal 204, E6 (2007)
Published online: 23 November 2007 | doi:10.1038/bdj.2007.1107
Subject Category: Primary dental care
Access to dental services in Scotland: an analysis of dentist-population ratios
J. T. Newton1, A. C. Williams2 & E. J. Bower3
- Describes inequalities in the availability of NHS dental practitioners between Scottish Health Boards.
- Demonstrates how simple dentist-population ratios may overestimate the availability of NHS dental practitioners in a Health Board area by more than 100%.
- Outlines a useful method for re-modelling dentist-population ratios to account for part-time working, provision of private services and variation in service productivity.
Abstract
Objective To assess inequalities in the availability of NHS dental services between Health Boards in Scotland.
Study design Postal questionnaire survey of all dentists (n = 2,852) registered with the General Dental Council at an address in Scotland.
Methods Data obtained on NHS working hours were used to model dentist to population (D/P) ratios and primary care D/P ratios corrected for part time working, variation in service productivity and the provision of private services.
Results A total of 2,134 completed questionnaires (74.8%) were received. There was a wide variation in D/P ratios between Health Boards. Dumfries & Galloway and Grampian had the lowest, and Tayside and Greater Glasgow the highest D/P ratios, irrespective of method of calculation. The corrected D/P ratios for the other Health Boards were more similar than was suggested by the simple ratios of registered dentists to population size.
Conclusions There was considerable variation in the availability of NHS dental practitioners between Health Boards. Simple ratios of registered dentists to population size can mask the true availability of specific dental services such as NHS dental care.
- Professor of Psychology as Applied to Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Services Research and Dental Public Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Caldecot Road, London, SE5 9RW
- Consultant in Orthodontics, Department of Oral Health Services Research and Dental Public Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Caldecot Road, London, SE5 9RW
- Clinical Research Assistant, Department of Oral Health Services Research and Dental Public Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Caldecot Road, London, SE5 9RW
Correspondence to: E. J. Bower3 e-mail: elizabeth.bower@kcl.ac.uk
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