An explorative study of the current practice and attitude towards the management of chronic periodontitis by general dental practitioners in the West Midlands.

Abstract

Aims To assess the management of chronic periodontitis (CP) in general dental practices based in the West Midlands against the British Society of Periodontology (BSP) guidelines and determine whether this varies between NHS, private and mixed sector practices. To examine general dental practitioners' (GDPs') attitudes towards the management of periodontitis, the implementation of the BSP guidelines and explore their suggestions for improved management of the disease.Materials and methods A semi-structured telephone interview was conducted with eight dentists to construct an online questionnaire. Using the NHS Choices database, the practice managers of 30 dental practices were contacted and asked to distribute the online questionnaire to all GDPs within their practice.Results One hundred and three GDPs completed the questionnaire; several dentists indicated their management would not align with the BSP recommendations. Dentists do not believe the BSP guidelines are easy to implement in NHS practice.Discussion Areas where dentists are falling short of the BSP guidelines include periodontal charting, indications for root surface debridement (RSD) and antimicrobials. These topics should be highlighted to dentists. Dentists would prefer NHS remuneration to reflect the time and effort spent, better access to secondary care and increased awareness of periodontal diseases among patients.Conclusion This study identifies clear areas where dentists are not following the BSP guidelines and provides insight from a GDP's perspective to improve the management of CP in practice.