Abstract
Few studies have examined the factors related to dental clinics during dental check-ups. We examined the association between dental-hygienist-related factors and patients’ regular dental check-ups. This nationwide cross-sectional study was based on a survey conducted in Japan in 2014. The analyzed population included 12,139 patients from 1181 dental clinics. We used three-level Poisson regression analysis, considering patient‒clinic‒prefecture, to examine the association of dental-hygienist-related factors with dental check-up behavior. Patients attending treatment and regular check-ups constituted 63.0% and 37.0%, respectively. The adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) for patients undergoing regular dental check-ups at dental clinics with dedicated dental hygienists’ units, spending ≥20 min in patient education (compared to 0 min), and with three or more dental hygienists (compared to 0 hygienists) available were 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–1.30), 1.25 (95%CI: 1.07–1.46), and 2.05 (95%CI: 1.64–2.56), respectively. The median PR indicates that when a patient randomly moves to another dental clinic with more regular dental check-ups, this prevalence increased 1.69 times. These results suggest that dental check-up behavior is determined not only by individual factors but also dental-clinic-level factors. Improving the dental-hygienist-related factors is necessary to encourage people to visit dentists for regular check-ups.
Highlights
IntroductionRegular dental check-ups have been reported to have beneficial effects on oral health [1,2]
Regular dental check-ups have been reported to have beneficial effects on oral health [1,2]and oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) [3]
Patients attending dental clinics with one or more dental units dedicated to dental hygienists, where a longer time was spent in oral health education, or with: Table 1
Summary
Regular dental check-ups have been reported to have beneficial effects on oral health [1,2]. Oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) [3]. They reduce the risk of dental caries [4]. Dental caries and periodontal disease are major causes of tooth loss [6,7], and regular dental check-ups contribute to the maintenance of natural teeth. In aging societies, maintaining natural teeth in older age is considered to be important for extending healthy life expectancy [8].
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