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A Quantitative Study of General Dental Practitioner Orthodontic Care in Scottish Health Board Areas (1966–1975)

A quantitative assessment of the true dental practitioner contribution to orthodontic care in Scottish Health Board areas during the period 1966–1975, shows that the amount of orthodontic treatment given by general dental practitioners in Scotland has diminished in the 10 year period studied. A wide variation was observed in respect of the mean number of orthodontic treatments per year per practitioner, and there was also a lack of uniformity in the proportion of practitioners providing an orthodontic service relative to the different area health boards. The findings have also shown that between 1966–1975, a considerable reduction has occurred in the mean number of practitioner orthodontic treatments commenced each year in the Greater Glasgow and Lothian Health Board areas. The evidence of this study also suggests that orthodontics should become recognized as a postgraduate dental specialty and that it would be appropriate to introduce specialist registration as a means of improving the quality and quantity of orthodontic care within the National Health Service. This should also be accompanied by certain administrative changes, as the present anomalous situation whereby specialist practitioners are permitted to practise within the general dental service should be discontinued.