Statistics of New Patients and Revisit Patients in the Geriatric Dentistry Department of Osaka Dental University Hospital

Abstract

It is thought that the number of elderly patients visiting dental offices will increase. However, there is no ongoing statistical observation of the elderly's dental visits. Accordingly we statistically analyzed the number of visits both of new patients and revisit patients in the geriatric dentistry department, Osaka Dental University, from September 17, 1998 to May 31, 2002. The subjects were patients who were edentulous in both upper and lower jaws, were over 70 years old, who needed general dental treatment, and who were introduced to us.
The number of patients for this investigation period was 6, 057 (2, 501 men and 3, 556 women). The annual number of patients as of March, 1998 was 3.1, correspondeding to twice the mean values of the number of patients each day as of December, 2002, which was 6.0 people. The number of patients requiring broken denture repairs or denture adjustments increased rapidly. Differences in the weather, and discomfort index did not affect the number of patients.
The total number of the patients visiting the hospital has been increasing. As a result it is important that practitioners should have the necessary skills to that elderly patients.