Abstract
New patients who visited the Pediatric Dentistry clinic, Asahi University Dental Hospital during the last 15 years were surveyed to reveal the actual condition of these patients and to enable us to meet the dental requirements in our community. The results obtained were as follows:
1. The number of patients who visited our clinic newly during the period from 1983 to 1997 was 7244. While the number of patients has decreased from 1983 to 1989, after that it tended to increase, year by year.
2. The number of children with dental caries as the chief complaint has decreased during the past 15years. In contrast, the number of children who came for prevention, oral examination and orthodontic treatment has increased gradually.
3. The initial visit of patients 3-5 years old amounted to about 35%, and those 6-12 years old amounted to about 45%, while the number of patients under 2 years of age increased over the year.
4. The number of initial visits concerning of handicapped children has gradually increased.
5. Investigation the distance from the home to the clinic showed that 72% of all the outpatients came from within a 10 km area.
