Pilot study to assess the validity of the single assessment process as a screening tool for dental treatment needs in older people.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility of using a questionnaire-based needs assessment tool (D-E-N-T-A-L) to screen for dental treatment need as part of the single assessment process (SAP) for older people in Sheffield.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Test validation study comparing questionnaire-assessed and normative need in two consecutive samples of older adults: 48 living at home in the transition phase of older age and 29 frail older adults living in care homes. Each answered the six D-E-N-T-A-L questions as part of SAP and a dental examination was carried out within 2 weeks in participants' homes. Question-defined need was then compared to the normative need.

RESULTS

Questionnaire-defined and normative need were high in both the transitional group (83% and 90% respectively) and the frail group (83% and 62%). These high levels of need meant that the sensitivity and positive predictive values of D-E-N-T-A-L were high, but the specificity and negative predictive values were low.

CONCLUSION

The high levels of need in these patient groups suggests that preliminary questionnaire-based screening is an unnecessary step. A clinical examination of all older people undergoing SAP may be necessary. Further research may be warranted on the use of questionnaires to assess dental treatment needs among people with different attendance patterns.