Eight-year trend of new patients at Clinic for Disabled Patients, University Hospital, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

The trend of new patients was investigated at the Clinic for Disabled Patients, University Hospital, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University for eight years from 1989 to 1996. The purpose of this study was to explore the future role of this specialized clinic. The study revealed the following information: 1. A total of 1,388 new patients, corresponding to 173.5 new patients per year on average, visited the clinic. 2. The percentage of patients aged 30 or more increased. As a result, the mean patient age rose from 40.4 in 1989 to 47.6 in 1996. 3. Referrals accounted for more than 80% of new patients. Medical doctors referred more patients to our clinic than dentists did. 4. While the percentage of disabled patients tended to decrease, the percentage of medically compromised patients increased. 5. The predominant complaint was dental caries. Patients with cardiovascular diseases also complained of gingival bleeding and ill-fitting dentures. The growing percentage of medically compromised patients and the increasing mean age of patients over the eight-year period seems to reflect advances in medical science and the aging society. These tendencies could be more remarkable in the future. Therefore, much closer cooperation between dentists and medical doctors will be required.