Aldawood S, Ampuan S N H, Medara N, Thomson W M
Department of Oral Sciences, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Aust Orthod J. 2011 Nov;27(2):145-54.
General dental practitioners (GDPs) are key clinicians in the orthodontic referral chain as they complement (and may compete with) orthodontists in providing treatment for the public.
To determine the nature and extent of GDPs' involvement in orthodontic treatment provision and to identify influences on GDPs' choice of orthodontist.
An email survey was conducted of actively-practising GDPs in May-June 2010. Two timelines of contact were followed, with non-responders to the first survey re-contacted three weeks later.
Just under one-fifth (19.3 per cent) reported providing forms of orthodontic treatment. This proportion was higher among males, more experienced practitioners, and dentists in rural locations. The percentage involvement ranged from 22.3 per cent in Greater Auckland to 10.5 per cent in Greater Wellington and 11.9 per cent in Christchurch. In the remainder of New Zealand, percentages ranged from 11.5 per cent in urban areas to 37.1 per cent in rural areas. Of those providing treatment, almost half had 1-10 patients under management, and just over one-third had greater numbers. Sixty-one per cent of orthodontically-involved GDPs in Auckland had more than 10 orthodontic patients. The most commonly treated condition was a simple crossbite, while the least commonly treated condition was the severe Class III malocclusion.
The provision of orthodontic treatment by New Zealand GDPs has decreased in recent years to an average of about one in five, but this figure is considerably higher in rural areas and is a notable feature of the greater Auckland area. The findings suggest that the majority of the more complex cases are continuing to be referred to specialist orthodontists.
普通牙科医生（GDPs）是正畸转诊链中的关键临床医生，因为他们在为公众提供治疗方面补充（并可能与）正畸医生形成竞争。
确定普通牙科医生参与正畸治疗的性质和程度，并确定影响普通牙科医生选择正畸医生的因素。
2010年5月至6月对在职普通牙科医生进行了电子邮件调查。遵循了两个联系时间线，对第一次调查未回复的人在三周后再次联系。
略低于五分之一（19.3%）的人报告提供了正畸治疗形式。这一比例在男性、经验更丰富的从业者以及农村地区的牙医中更高。参与率从大奥克兰地区的22.3%到惠灵顿地区的10.5%以及克赖斯特彻奇的11.9%不等。在新西兰的其他地区，参与率从城市地区的11.5%到农村地区的37.1%不等。在提供治疗的人中，近一半管理1 - 10名患者，略超过三分之一管理的患者更多。奥克兰参与正畸治疗的普通牙科医生中有61%管理超过10名正畸患者。最常治疗的情况是简单的反咬合，而最不常治疗的情况是严重的III类错牙合。
近年来，新西兰普通牙科医生提供正畸治疗的比例已降至平均约五分之一，但这一数字在农村地区要高得多，并且是大奥克兰地区的一个显著特征。研究结果表明，大多数更复杂的病例仍继续转诊给正畸专科医生。
