Quality and contents of referral letters from peripheral health centers to the dental centre of a teaching hospital, southwestern Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: Referral letters are deficient in quality and content, which may prevent ideal treatment of patients. Therefore, this study assessed the quality and contents of referral letters from peripheral health centers to the dental center of a teaching hospital in southwestern Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consecutive referral letters received at the dental center of a teaching hospital in southwestern Nigeria from various peripheral health centers over a period of 1 year were prospectively reviewed using a structured questionnaire. The information extracted were patient's demographic data, addresses of referral persons, dates of referral, reasons for referral, medical and dental history, examination findings, investigations done, diagnosis and treatment given. Descriptive analyses of frequencies were done for all variables. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four referral letters were received and reviewed, comprising letters from 75 (60.0%) males and 59 (40.0%) females. The patient's age ranged from 2-74 years, with a median age of 25 years. The majority, 91 (85.4%), of the letters were written by medical doctors. An appreciable number of referral letters had no name or signature of the referring health care worker. Information on reasons for referral were not available in 27 (20.1%) of the letters. A significant proportion of referral letters lacked vital information on the patient age, past medical history, past dental history, investigations done and treatment given. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that referral letters written from various peripheral healthcare centers to the dental centre of a teaching hospital is generally of unacceptable quality and the content could be improved upon.

An audit of pattern of patients' presentation at the periodontics clinic of the university college hospital, ibadan.

OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed at assessing the various reasons why patients present at the periodontics clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A six months retrospective review of patients treated in the periodontics clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan was conducted. Case file records were retrieved and information on patients' bio-data, occupation and their various presenting complaint during their first consultation at the clinic were reviewed. Three hundred patients were seen in the clinic during the period under review but records of four of them were incomplete and were therefore excluded from the study. The association between the gender of the patients and their various initial presenting complaints was assessed using chi-square tests, p set at (<0.05). RESULTS: Records of two hundred and ninety-six patients were reviewed comprising of 150 males and 146 female (M/F, 1:1). Out of these patients, only eighty-four (28.4%) had been coming for regular check-up while the remaining 71.6% reported with various complaints. Majority (45.3%) presented with pain of which there were slightly more females than males (M/F =1:1.1). Gum bleeding and poor oral hygiene were other reasons why patients presented at the clinic. The younger age groups were noticed to be more frequent at the clinic on routine basis than the older ones during the period under review. CONCLUSION: The finding of this study further confirmed that majority of people only seek dental care to alleviate their pain. We therefore suggest that efforts should be intensified towards public enlightenment, as prevention is better and cheaper than cure.