Caries management decision: Influence of dentist and patient factors in the provision of dental services

Abstract 

Objectives

Little is known about how dentists implement caries management and provide restorative dental services in everyday practice. This study explored whether or not recent concepts in caries management were implemented in practice by private practitioners. The influence of patient and practitioner characteristics on the provision of restorative dental services was also investigated through multidimensional analyses.

Methods

A sample of French general private dental practitioners was asked to record the characteristics of 35 preventive or restorative treatments made on vital permanent teeth. The data collection form was designed to explore dentists’ attitudes towards caries management and their use of minimally invasive therapies.

Results

Twenty-six practitioners recorded the characteristics of 921 treatments performed on 457 patients. Results indicate that participants rarely performed non-invasive treatments. They used an inappropriate detection tool, as most of decisions to treat were based on visual inspection frequently associated with probing. Multidimensional analysis showed that dentists provided different restorative treatments depending on patient characteristics, with minimally invasive, esthetic restorations preferentially performed for healthy, young and well-insured patients. Restorative treatments and detection tools also varied markedly among practitioners. These variations in service patterns were not related to a specific patient profile in each dental practice.

Conclusions

Results indicate that recent concepts in caries management have not yet been adopted in everyday practice. Patient and dentist characteristics influence the provision of restorative dental services. Decision-making in caries management not only depends on pathophysiology but also seems to be influenced by many other factors.

Keywords: Health services research, Dentist practice patterns, Clinical decision-making, Dental caries, Restorative dentistry, Preventive dentistry