How many periodontists are there




















However, our perspective on these referral patterns has been mainly that of general dentists. In addition to treatment and prevention of the effects of periodontal destruction, patients may also be referred to periodontists for plastic mucogingival surgery, pre-prosthetic surgery, hard and soft tissue augmentation and dental implants. However, to date, there is no information about the types of procedures performed in periodontal practices across Canada or the patterns of referral from general dentists.

The purpose of this project is to examine the profile of periodontal practices in terms of services provided and referral patterns. Data from this survey may guide the development of pre- and post-doctoral dental curricula.

This study may also increase awareness of periodontics as a specialty and serve as a reference point for evaluating future trends. An online cross-sectional survey was developed, consisting of 3 sections: demographics, referral dynamics and periodontal procedures performed. It was tested for content and face validity with a convenience sample of 5 academic and clinical periodontists.

The final questionnaire consisted of 45 questions and was formatted on Opinio, an online survey system offered by Information Technology Services, Dalhousie University. In the periodontal procedure section, a Likert scale was used; it consisted of 5 categories based on frequency of procedures performed: never, rare, occasionally, often and very often. Hidden conditions were programmed into the questionnaire to allow respondents, who met specific criteria, to answer specific questions.

For example, if a respondent had worked for 10 years or more and noted changes in referral pattern, he or she would be asked about the type of changes noted. Similarly, if a respondent performed certain procedures, such as sinus lift or grafting, he or she would be asked for details. For all other respondents, these questions would not be visible. Participants were excluded if they were students, international or military members.

Figure 1: Protocol for survey. Reminders were sent only to non-respondents. Only the participant codes were known to the primary investigator to track response. Note: as responses were not mandatory, number of respondents varied. A mixed-mode approach was used to contact participants Fig. On day 1, an introductory letter was sent by email and post to active Canadian periodontists. On day 7, email-only reminders were sent. On day 21, reminders where sent by both email and post. On day 49, final email and postal reminders were sent, and, on day 56, access to the online survey was closed.

All participants were given instructions for accessing the online survey and a unique code for logging in. Participants were advised that their participation was voluntary, that informed consent was implied by completion of the survey and that all responses were confidential and anonymous.

A code sheet linked the names and addresses of participants with their assigned unique codes. This allowed us to send reminders to non-respondents and those with incomplete surveys only.

The code sheet was accessible only to the administrative assistant at CAP's head office, who provided the list of codes to investigators as needed. The names of participants were blinded to the investigators. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. To analyze the frequency of procedures, the Likert scale was collapsed in 2 ways: in a binary variable, "yes" which included rarely, occasionally, often and very often or "no" never and a 3-category variable, "frequently" often and very often , "infrequently" rarely and occasionally and "never" never.

The latter was used to ascertain how often procedures were performed in a private periodontal office. Of the potential respondents, started the survey online Response rates by days 7, 21 and 49 were Not all respondents answered all questions, so the number of respondents varied.

The male to female ratio was Year of graduation was similarly distributed. On average, the respondents saw 13 patients a day, of which 3 were new patients. In a typical week, respondents spent, on average, 3. This reading material was most frequently the Journal of Periodontology Among the Internet sources frequently used for information regarding periodontal practice, the most common was the American Academy of Periodontology AAP website The most frequently attended conferences were national association conferences, e.

On an average, 40 new patients a month were referred to a periodontal practice. Of those referred specifically for periodontal disease, most had generalized periodontitis Initial examination of newly referred patients revealed that most had 1—4 missing teeth Almost all new referrals had private dental insurance N on-surgical therapy: Scaling and root planing debridement are the basis of periodontal therapy and these procedures are often completed by periodontists themselves in addition to their hygienists.

We also evaluated frequency of other non-surgical services, including photodynamic therapy, management of temporomandibular disorders and occlusal therapies Fig. Figure 3: Frequency of use of non-surgical therapies by respondents. Data reports. Supply of dentists in the U. Journal articles. Elevating dentistry through diversity April Will we see more foreign-trained dentists in the United States?

July Does California project the future of dentistry? January Do dentists from rural areas practice in rural areas? Racial and ethnic mix of the dentist workforce in the U. Research briefs. Do we need fewer or more dentists in the U. In addition, your periodontist can provide you with the tools and knowledge to practice optimum oral hygiene at home. You will partner with the periodontist and your general dentist to help you regain your oral health and maintain it for life.

To learn if you have gum disease and to protect your smile from developing it, contact Carroll County Dental Specialists, at today! Some of these specialized services provided by periodontists are shown here. When gum recession is a problem, gum reconstruction using grafting techniques is an option. Gum graft surgery will repair the defect.

Read More. Dental implants are a wonderful option to replace missing or un-restorable teeth, because they look and feel much like natural teeth. Cosmetic periodontal procedures are a predictable way to cover unsightly, sensitive, or exposed root surfaces and to prevent future gum recession.

Maintenance therapy is an ongoing program designed to prevent disease in the gum tissues and bone supporting your teeth. A periodontist is a dental specialist who deals with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of periodontal and peri-implant diseases.

Periodontists are involved with the building and establishment of the hard and soft tissues and maintaining these as healthy foundations to support teeth and implants in the gums and bone. As more and more patients are exhibiting signs of periodontal disease, coupled with research that suggests a relationship between periodontal disease and other chronic diseases of aging, periodontal treatment may necessitate a greater understanding and increased level of expertise by a trained specialist.

Many periodontal surgeries are covered by insurance. Most implant surgeries are not covered. Offices should provide a pre-estimate to your insurance company to determine what will be covered.



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