IADR Abstract Archives
Effect of Periodontal Therapy by Undergraduate Students on Periodontal Risk Assessment
Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the outcome of non-surgical periodontal treatment and supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) by 4th and 5th year undergraduate students at the dental school of the University-Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), Germany.
Methods: The records of 350 patients who had undergone non-surgical periodontal therapy and at least 6 months up to over 4 years regular SPT (3 to 6 months) were investigated retrospectively. Due to incomplete data 111 cases had to be excluded. 239 patients were included in the study with an average observation time of 1.5 ± 1.6 years (1y n=239, 2y n=114, 3y n=44, 4y or more n=31). Their data were re-examined regarding the parameters to assign the periodontal risk assessment (PRA) according to Lang & Tonetti (2003). PRA were assessed for each patient at baseline (T0=before therapy) and at the last documented SPT (T1). Patients were divided into 3 groups: low (LO), moderate (MO), and high (HI) periodontal risk according to the definition of PRA. The development of PR between T0 and T1 was calculated statistically (Wilcoxon test).
Results: At T0, 118 (49%) of the patients were classified as HI-PRA, 107 (45%) as MO-PRA, and 14 (6%) as LO-PRA. At T1, the number of patients at HI-PRA amounted 50 (21%), those at MO-PRA 144 (60%) and at LO-PRA 45 (19%). During the therapy and SPT 102 (43%) of the patients improved their individual PRA (71% one level, 2% two levels), whereas 8 patients (3%) worsened their PRA respectively. Comparing the variations between T0 and T1, the amount of patients with LO-PRA significantly increased and those of HI-PRA significantly decreased (p<0.0001).
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that non-surgical periodontal treatment followed by SPT performed by dental student can successfully decrease the periodontal risk profile.
Methods: The records of 350 patients who had undergone non-surgical periodontal therapy and at least 6 months up to over 4 years regular SPT (3 to 6 months) were investigated retrospectively. Due to incomplete data 111 cases had to be excluded. 239 patients were included in the study with an average observation time of 1.5 ± 1.6 years (1y n=239, 2y n=114, 3y n=44, 4y or more n=31). Their data were re-examined regarding the parameters to assign the periodontal risk assessment (PRA) according to Lang & Tonetti (2003). PRA were assessed for each patient at baseline (T0=before therapy) and at the last documented SPT (T1). Patients were divided into 3 groups: low (LO), moderate (MO), and high (HI) periodontal risk according to the definition of PRA. The development of PR between T0 and T1 was calculated statistically (Wilcoxon test).
Results: At T0, 118 (49%) of the patients were classified as HI-PRA, 107 (45%) as MO-PRA, and 14 (6%) as LO-PRA. At T1, the number of patients at HI-PRA amounted 50 (21%), those at MO-PRA 144 (60%) and at LO-PRA 45 (19%). During the therapy and SPT 102 (43%) of the patients improved their individual PRA (71% one level, 2% two levels), whereas 8 patients (3%) worsened their PRA respectively. Comparing the variations between T0 and T1, the amount of patients with LO-PRA significantly increased and those of HI-PRA significantly decreased (p<0.0001).
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that non-surgical periodontal treatment followed by SPT performed by dental student can successfully decrease the periodontal risk profile.
