The frequency of dental attendance of Scottish dentate adults between 1978 and 1988

The dental attendance of a sample of dentate adults (n = 702) within the National Health Service in Scotland was monitored longitudinally between 1978 and 1988. The attendance pattern of the sample appeared to be no different between 1983-88 than in the preceding 5 years, which suggests that the attendance behaviour of the sample has not changed significantly. National figures, available for the same period, show an increase in the number of courses of dental treatment provided. These figures were examined in detail, and the analysis suggested that only 40% of the increase in number of courses provided in 1988 compared with 1978 could be accounted for by an improvement in attendance patterns among Scottish adults as a whole. The remaining 60% could be attributed to a greater requirement for dental care to cater for the increased proportion of the Scottish population who retained their own teeth in 1988. Only 16% of the sample consistently attended for dental care within 2 years of a previous dental course (which is the criterion for remaining under continuing care in the new General Dental Service contract).