Orthodontics in Europe 1992.

The removal of economic barriers in Europe in 1992, began a new era in history and will have profound effects on orthodontics throughout Europe. In order to get an estimate of the orthodontic scene in each European country a questionnaire was sent to a well known orthodontist who was asked to fill in the form. The questionnaire consisted of enquiries into four areas of orthodontics. The first dealt with orthodontic specialization in the country and inquired into the numbers of orthodontists, where they practised, how they trained, and whether there was a specialist register. The second part dealt with the orthodontic societies, how many were there, how many members, and the frequency of the meetings. The third area asked about orthodontic practice, dealing with case load, types of appliances used, and the cost of treatment. The last section dealt with the future of orthodontics in their particular country. This related to the demand for orthodontics, the need for orthodontists and the changing patterns of orthodontic practice over the next decade. Twenty-three of the 26 countries in Europe when the questionnaire was sent out responded although some were unable to answer all the questions because orthodontics was not recognized in their country.