Abstracts from Poster Presentations at the Scottish Dental Practice-Based Research Network's Symposium held in Edinburgh in November 2001

Symposium Reports

Abstract of poster presentations

Provision of Domiciliary Dental Care in Scotland: A Pilot Study

M Petrina Sweeney*, Sarah Manton, Lorna D MacPherson & Siobhan McHugh

Provision of domiciliary care is essential, if equal access to primary care dentistry is to become a reality in Scotland. This pilot study examined Scottish dentists' attitudes to domiciliary dental care.

A postal questionnaire was sent to 20 general dental practitioners (GDP) and 20 community dentists (CDO) in Tayside, Fife, Greater Glasgow and Argyll & Clyde Health Authorities.

The response rate was 90%. Of the respondents, 25 practised in urban areas, five in rural areas and six in mixed urban and rural areas. The patient group most commonly requiring domiciliary care was the elderly, mainly for denture provision. The GDPs provided domiciliary dental care most often in a nursing / residential home setting, but CDOs more frequently provided treatment in the patient's own home. Some GDPs referred more complex treatment to the Community Dental Service, which they believed to be better equipped for domiciliary care.

Eighty percent of GDPs stated that the level of remuneration for domiciliary dental care was inadequate. Of the respondents, 85% had purchased equipment especially for use on domiciliary visits. Many felt that the NHS should fund specific domiciliary items, such as portable chairs and suction. Fifty-eight percent of dentists were unhappy to administer emergency drugs, although most had attended resuscitation training within the last year. Of the 42% who were willing to administer emergency drugs, most were CDOs from one Trust who had received specific training in this area.

There were disturbing findings linked to health and safety, including manual handling issues and poor practices in relation to the transportation of contaminated dental instruments, sharps and waste. These data form the basis of a grant application to examine formally the problems raised by this pilot study and to inform development of national guidelines.

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