The role for ‘reminders’ in dental traumatology: 1. Current practices in the UK and Ireland.

Publication Summary

The aim of this study was to investigate the current method for recording trauma in UK dental hospitals. A standard questionnaire was sent out to all 19 UK and Irish dental hospitals to investigate how trauma was recorded both at initial presentation and at review appointments. Where a standard form was used, a copy was requested. Each form was analysed to assess what information was being recorded and whether prompts were used. For the initial presentation of trauma, nine institutions had a standard trauma form, one used a standard form for avulsions only, seven had no form and two did not respond. For subsequent follow-up visits of trauma cases, six hospitals had a standard form, one used a standard from for avulsions only, 10 had no form and two did not respond. There was considerable variation in the questions that were asked at initial presentation of trauma cases and follow-up reviews in dento-alveolar trauma. Without consistent recording, there is little chance that multi-centred prospective clinical trials can take place in the field of dental trauma.