Table 2

Characteristics of patients compared with private general practice and Australian population estimates


Burden of Oral Disease Study (n = 375)
Private general practice(a)
(n = 4,858)
Australian population
(n = 7,829)


% [95% CI]
%
%
Sex



% Female
59.5 [54.3–64.7]
54.9
(b) 50.4
Place of birth



% Australian
75.5 [70.9–80.1]
n.a.
(b) 76.4
Dental insurance status



% Insured
64.8 [59.7–69.9]
47.8
(c) 34.8
Reason for dental visit



Check-up
35.2 [30.1–40.3]
41.1
(c) 45.1
Emergency
18.1 [16.0–20.2]
28.6
n.a.
Other dental problem
46.7 [41.4–52.0]
30.8
n.a.
Time since last dental visit



% visited in last 12 months
65.3 [60.2–70.4]
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 BMC Health Services Research 2006 6:96   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-6-96