Table 2

Characteristics of patients in the Burden of Oral Disease Study compared with private general practice and Australian population estimates.


Burden of Oral Disease Study
Private General Practice (a)
Australian Population


%
%
%
Sex



     % Female
59.5
54.9
(b) 50.4
Place of birth



     % Australian
75.5
n.a.
(b) 76.4
Dental insurance status



     % Insured
64.8
47.8
(c) 34.8
Reason for dental visit



     Check-up
35.2
41.1
(c) 45.1
     Emergency
18.1
28.6
n.a.
     Other dental problem
46.7
30.8
n.a.
Time since last dental visit



     % visited in last 12 months
65.3
n.a.
(c) 61.3

(a): Longitudinal Study of Dentists' Practice Activity 1998–99

(b): Australian Bureau of Statistics 2002

(c): National Dental Telephone Interview Survey 1999

n.a. : denotes data not available

Brennan and Spencer Population Health Metrics 2004 2:7   doi:10.1186/1478-7954-2-7