Treatment and care trends at the Paedodontics Clinic of a Teaching Hospital in Southern Nigeria.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the trend of dental treatment and care at the Paedodontic Clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital over a ten-year period

Methods: The case records of patients seen at the paediatric Dental Clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital between November 2004 and October 2014 were retrieved from the Medical Records Department and analyzed for age, gender and type of treatment provided.

Results: Six thousand, one hundred and sixty-nine (6169) clinical records of children who received a total of seven thousand, one hundred and eighty-five (7185) treatment procedures were analyzed. More females (53.4%) participated in the study. The school-aged patients accounted for 50.7% of the participants and the least age group were the neonates (0.7%). Trend analysis shows a gradual increase in the number of dental patients seen and procedures done with the highest number of children and treatment done during 2008-2009 period. The most treatment carried out was extraction (32.3%) followed by scaling and polishing (27.4%), glass ionomer cement restoration (13.9%), primary tooth pulp therapy (8.6%).

Conclusion: The number of children that attended the clinic and the scope of treatment procedure/care provided increased. More so the quality of care improved with the engagement of adequate support manpower, improvement in dental facilities and materials, intake of Paedodontic residents’ doctors in training and the employment of consultants.