Unravelling Referral Paths Relating to the Dental Care of Children: A Study in Liverpool
Abstract
Objective: To describe primary care referral networks relating to children's dental care and the main influences on referral decisions taken by dentists working in a primary care setting. Design: A postal questionnaire to all 130 general dental practitioners (GDPs) in contract with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), and 24 Community Dental Service (CDS) dentists in Liverpool. Outcome measures: Characteristics of patient groups and factors influencing the choice of referral pathway of children referred from primary dental care. Results: There were good responses rates (110 [85%] GDPs and 22 [92%] CDS dentists). The two main reasons why GDPs referred children to hospitals were (a) for treatment under general anaesthetic (GA) or relative analgesia (RA) and (b) for restorative care of dentally anxious children. GDPs also referred anxious children requiring simple restorative care and/or RA to the CDS. Only eight GDPs (7%) cited a lack of experience as a reason for referral of dentally anxious children for simple restorative care, compared to 53 (48%) who cited a lack of RA facilities, and 25 (23%) who cited financial considerations. Conclusions: GDPs refer children to both hospital services and the CDS, and identify a lack of RA facilities and economic pressures as key reasons for referral.
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Pharmacological approaches enable required dental treatment but do not address children's dental anxiety, which often continues into adulthood.
“While these pharmacological approaches enable the required dental treatment to be carried out, they do not address the children’s dental anxiety, which often continues into adulthood [8].”
From Evaluation of self-help cognitive behavioural therapy for children's dental anxiety in general dental practice (2019) · cites this paper as [8]
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Children's experiences following a CBT intervention to reduce dental anxiety: One year on
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Bux, S., Porritt, J., & Marshman, Z. (2019) · Dentistry Journal · doi:10.3390/dj7020036 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
- Authors
- Harris, R. V., Pender, S. M., Merry, A., & Leo, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- Liverpool Primary Care Trust, Liverpool, UK.
- ORCID
- Harris, Rebecca V
- Venue
- Primary Dental Care
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2008-04
- Volume
- os15
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 45-52
- ISSN
- 1355-7610 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-9344
- OpenAlex
- W2035731910
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Primary Dental Care (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Dental Health and Care Utilization
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Oral Surgery › Dental Anxiety and Anesthesia Techniques
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Healthcare Systems and Technology
- Keywords
- children's dental care, referral pathways, general dentists, community dental care, general anesthesia, relative analgesia, restorative care, referral decisions, financial barriers to care, Liverpool
- MeSH terms
- Anesthesia, Dental, Anesthesia, General, Attitude of Health Personnel, Child, Clinical Competence, Community Dentistry, Decision Making, Dental Restoration, Permanent, Dental Service, Hospital, England, Female, General Practice, Dental, Humans, Male, Pediatric Dentistry, Primary Health Care, Surveys and Questionnaires, Referral and Consultation, Tooth Extraction, Procedural Sedation, Dental Anxiety, Dental Care for Children
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