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Biomedical subjects

Paul Batchelor

Publications and source records attributed to Paul Batchelor.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A reassessment of recall frequency intervals for screening in low caries incidence populations.

OBJECTIVES: To reassess the recall frequency interval for dental examinations for children, based on annual caries increments. METHODS: Cross sectional data collected on school children in eight rural and urban schools through the national Incremental Dental Care Programme (IDCP) for one district in Malaysia were analysed to assess their annual caries increment and trend lines. The Restorative Index was calculated to assess the success of the IDCP in rendering children dentally fit. RESULTS: The annual caries increments were low; the current caries levels were between 0.65 and 1.50 for 12 year-old children in Kota Tinggi District. Most of the caries experience was on pits and fissures. From 7 to 12 years old, the overall annual caries increment for the total study population was 0.19. The mean annual caries increment increased slightly between the ages of 12 to 14 years and 14 to 16 years and was 0.24 and 0.25 respectively. Two distinct caries incremental trend lines were observed for children aged 7 to 16 years. One group reached a mean DMFT of about 0.75 while the other group a mean DMFT of about 1.4 at 12 years. The trend lines continued over the next 4 years until the children were 16 years old. The Restorative Index was higher in urban schools that also had low DMFT levels. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the low annual caries increments of between 0.65 and 1.50, yearly dental examination intervals can safely be extended to 2-yearly intervals or even longer. Such a change of screening recall intervals would help improve resource allocation. Resources saved by extending recall intervals can be redirected to the small proportion of children with higher disease levels. This will help render more school children dentally fit and reduce inequalities in oral health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Informing research in primary dental care: setting priorities.

This paper suggests that priorities for research in primary dental care should follow the examples set in other areas of primary healthcare. It reviews the history of research in primary dental care, since 1990, and goes on to explain how the Delphi exercise, initiated by the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK), has identified five priority areas for research in primary dental care. These areas are:1. Research into the application of evidence-based dentistry into practice.2. The effects of different systems of remuneration on treatment patterns in practice.3. The oral health assessment on determining recall intervals and its effect on oral health.4. Factors that influence and affect dentists' treatment modalities.5. The evaluation of the cost benefits of whole team training.

Delphi Technique↗
PubMed2005

The historical and political background to the proposals for local commissioning of primary dental care by primary care trusts.

This paper provides a background to the changes that are about to occur in the system for primary oral healthcare delivery in the NHS. This is part of a far wider reform programme involving all public sector services. The challenges that the Government faces are not unique: all countries are striving to alter their care systems to address the changing expectations of the electorate while attempting to control both the costs and inequalities. What is unique to the United Kingdom is the historical legacy of the NHS and its political importance, which should not be underestimated. An overview of the agenda for change in all parts of the health sector is presented. This is followed by a more detailed analysis of the proposals for future delivery of primary oral care in the NHS and the subsequent issues arising. A consistent theme running throughout the Government's agenda is devolution. Indeed, the detailed programme discussed in this paper applies only to England and Wales. The fact that Scotland has different plans highlights the importance of the political and cultural setting to any reform programme.

Community Dentistry↗
PubMed2002

The limitations of a 'high-risk' approach for the prevention of dental caries.

The decline in the prevalence of caries has lead several authors to advocate the adoption of a 'high-risk' approach for caries preventive strategies. This paper analyses such an approach. It argues that the distribution of caries within a population follows certain laws: first, the mean caries score is a function of the prevalence; second, the variance is a function of the mean; and third, for a particular mean score, the distribution within the population is predetermined. Using data from the National Preventive Dentistry Demonstration Programme (NPDDP) in the US and the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD) epidemiological programmes in the UK the functions determining the distribution of caries within the population are examined. The findings indicate the changes in caries experience observed occurred throughout populations and are not confined to subgroups. Strategies limited to individuals 'at risk' would fail to deal with the majority of new lesions. The main emphasis should be centred on a population approach.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Does perceived risk of oral problems influence the use of dental services in university entrants?

OBJECTIVE: To assess if the self-perceived risk of oral problems is related to reported dental service usage in university entrants. DESIGN: Self-completed questionnaire. SAMPLE: 1,180 university entrants with an average age of 19.1 years. Fifty-six per cent of the sample were female, 44% males; 16% were medical undergraduates, 27% arts students, and 52% science undergraduates. RESULTS: Females rated their own dental health more positively than males. Overall, the perceived risk of future problems was low. Seventy-five per cent of graduates reported attending dentists on a regular basis. Females were more likely to attend dentists regularly. Those who reported attending on a regular basis rated their dental health higher than those reporting other dental attendance patterns. There was no significant difference between those who reported a regular attendance service pattern and their perceived likelihood of requiring a filling or getting gum disease within the next five years. CONCLUSION: Differences in reported dental services usage were related to the perceived benefits of dental check-ups but not to the risk of future problems.

Adult↗