Int Dent J
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To describe the type and frequency of oral and dental conditions presenting to medical practitioners in Trinidad and Tobago, type of management, and interest in continuing education in oral diseases. ⋯ In the context of access to oral care in Trinidad and Tobago, medical practitioners appear to be important providers and may benefit from further training in the diagnosis and management of oral diseases.
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To assess the utilisation of traditional systems of health care for oral conditions among rural adults in Sri Lanka. ⋯ Traditional medicines are still used for treating common oral conditions in rural Sri Lanka. Cultural beliefs and lack of confidence in western type dental care were common reasons for using traditional medicines for oral conditions.
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Both dental education and dental practice are affected by the increasing pressure for quality assurance/improvement in health care and the dental profession is expected to take more responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of quality of oral health care and service delivery. Dental professionals are expected to be familiar with various quality assurance/improvement systems or tools that are available and that have implications for dentistry and the crucial importance of their ethical implementation in the health care arena.
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Quality has always been important for the health professions. However, recently the 'pressure' for quality assurance/improvement (QA/I) in the health care arena has increased. All health professions and individual practitioners are expected to be aware of the driving forces behind this increasing 'pressure' for quality to be able to meet the demands for the continuous QA/I. It is particularly important to have a correct understanding of the QA/I process, the shared values, goals and potential benefits of the different QA/I systems and tools, and the associated complexities of implementation of QA/I systems/models in health care.
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To examine the provision of dental services by salaried personnel in the countries of Western Europe, together with Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and to weigh the merits of this method against alternatives, namely, capitation and fee for item of service. In light of the findings, to consider the future role of salaried dental services in the National Health Service (NHS) in England. ⋯ Dental services delivered by a salaried workforce can be costly in relation to the volume of clinical activity produced. However, deployment of clinical auxiliary personnel can keep costs down. Salaried services foster a preventive approach to care and are particularly suitable where care is directed towards vulnerable groups within the community. Salaried staff generally receive a lower level of remuneration than private practitioners but usually work in an environment less subject to undue pressures of time.