Factors related to access to family dentists and regular dental checkups--results of oral health examination of an adult population

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In February 2000, we examined the oral health status of 578 government employees (males 408, females 170). We also asked them to complete questionnaires on oral health. The following results were obtained. Of the total sample, 39.2% had a family dentist. There were significantly more women, and older workers, who had a family dentist. The reasons to visit family dentists were "treatment (75.9%)," "prevention (14.4%)," and "regular checkups (8.8%)." Workers who had family dentists had more filled teeth and fewer present teeth than those without family dentists, and the difference was significant. Less than half (42.7%) of the workers were receiving dental checkups regularly, more commonly at the work site (76.3%) than by family dentists (22.4%). There was no significant difference in oral health status between workers who received/did not receive regular dental checkups. Workers who repeatedly went to the clinic for treatment considered their dentist as a "family dentist." This indicated that dental professionals and ordinary people have a different concept of a "family dentist." The habit of visiting a dentist regularly seeking checkups and prevention is not yet popular. To improve this condition, it would be necessary to undertake efforts to change the concept on family dentists for both patients and dental professionals, to improve the school oral health system, to use mass dental examination at work sites effectively, and to reform the health insurance system to be prevention-oriented.