DT News - UK - More patients turn to general practitioners for oral health issues

Dental Tribune International

Mon. 25 November 2013

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RUGBY, UK: According to a national survey commissioned by the Association of Dental Groups (ADG), an organisation representing private and corporate dental practices in the UK, the majority of general practitioners feel that too many patients are visiting their practices seeking advice on oral health issues instead of consulting a dentist.

The survey of 1,007 doctors, which was conducted by UK research agency ComRes on behalf of ADG, found that 87 per cent of the participants are experiencing a great deal of pressure regarding the availability of appointments because many patients turn to them for oral health advice. In addition, 96 per cent said that they think more should be done to encourage patients to go to their dentist rather than their family doctor for such issues.

“People often think that dentists are focused purely on teeth and gums, but actually they are specialists in most aspects of oral health and we often find that general practitioners refer patients back to their dentist if there is any treatment required,” said David Worskett, Chairman of ADG.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, OBE, also pointed out: “Dentists are in the best position to spot mouth cancer. They are trained to spot early warning signs, and they do visual examinations as part of every dental check-up.”

The findings were released during Mouth Cancer Action Month, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of the disease that runs until the end of November. According to the latest figures published by the British Dental Health Foundation, new mouth cancer cases exceeded 7,500 in 2012, and the number of new cases is expected to rise even further this year.

ADG has released a free educational tool for dental health professionals to help improve early detection and treatment outcomes. The tool is available on the association’s website.

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