Abstract
We investigated the overall status of oral health among new patients visiting our pediatric dental hospital from 1995 to 2004 to enable us to reconsider a course of medical education and training for students and post graduate dentists. Subjects and Methods:
The subjects of this study were 5,291 new patients who visited the department of pediatric dentistry department at Kanagawa Dental College Hospital from 1995 to 2004. For each new patient, we recorded the age, address, chief complaint, and other information using medical examination interview forms. Our results provide a basis for discussing demographic changes, the present Japanese birthrate, the number of dental health care facilities within the city of Yokosuka, and other important topics. Results and discussion:
1) There had been an annual increase in the number of new patients registered in the Pediatric Dentistry department in the hospital of Kanagawa Dental College from 2001 to 2004.
2) The number of children aged 2 or 3 among the new patients was large.
3) The most common chief complaint was dental caries. The percentage of children treated for dental caries, however, decreased gradually. On the other hand, chief complaints of tooth injury, oral examination requesting caries prevention and treatment of malocclusion were increased.
4) There was a large number of children under age 1 whose chief complaint was tooth injury, and there was a large number of oral examinations requesting caries prevention among 2-year-old children.
5) New patients visiting the Pediatric Dentistry department of Kanagawa Dental College Hospital came mainly from within the boundaries of the city of Yokosuka and Yokohama. To reach our hospital, more patients used public and private transportation than those who came on foot. Conclusions:
The phenomenon of reduction of the child population in Japan is unavoidable. The Pediatric Dental Hospital attached to Kanagawa Dental College needs to maintain its status not only as a provider of high quality tertiary medical care but also as an educational institution. It is therefore very important to gather and spread information and to provide attractive and effective dental health care programs for children and guardians as well as to foster a closer connection with local medical facilities for undergraduate dental students and post-graduate dental professionals undergoing clinical education.
