F. S. P. Szuster

DIFFERENCES IN TIME DEVOTED TO PRACTICE BY MALE AND FEMALE DENTISTS

Previous studies have found that female dentists work fewer hours per year than male dentists. This study examined factors which may explain the differences in hours worked per year that exist between male and female dentists in private practice. In 1988, a weighted, stratified random sample of dentists in Australia was surveyed by mailed questionnaire. There were 855 respondents (response rate = 75.5%) with 566 dentists from private practice (361 males and 205 females). Annual time devoted to dental practice was significantly lower for females, for dentists who were not the sole earner of the family income, and for dentists with young children. A significant interaction between sex of dentist and child age showed that hours per year in practice decreased only for females with young children. Hours worked per year were significantly higher among female dentists with no children, or older children. For males, hours worked remained at a higher level. The amount of time devoted to dentistry requires monitoring in the estimation and projection of capacity to supply dental services

Aspects of tooth decay in recently arrived refugees

Objective:To measure and compare the prevalence and distribution of tooth decay among two refugee groups recently arrived in Australia.

Service-mix of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia and New Zealand.

This study aimed to investigate the service-mix of oral and maxillofacial surgeons and its association with patient age, sex, and referral sources. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia and New Zealand were surveyed (n = 97; 71.9% response rate), and they supplied service-mix data from a week-long log of services provided to 5770 patients. Dentoalveolar services comprised 67.0% of services. Subcategories of service-mix showed high levels of removal of unerupted teeth (44.8%) and multiple extractions (10.0%), with soft-tissue lesions (5.0%), TMJ surgery (4.7%), mandible trauma (4.6%), and simple extraction (4.4%) the next categories in order of percentage. Variations in service-mix were observed for patient age and sex, among referral sources, and between private and public practice.

The training and surgical scope of oral and maxillofacial surgeons: The international survey 1994

In 1992, the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (IAOMS) published its training guidelines document. The following survey was conducted to determine the current status of the training and scope of practice of oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMS) worldwide. Currently, 55% of OMS practice with a single degree, predominantly a dental degree (DDS), while only 16% of the responding countries require dual qualification (MD, DDS). There is a trend toward the dual degree (MD, DDS) in the remaining 29%. In general, in those countries where dual qualification is mandatory, the scope is broadest; however, the scope in a number of countries in which surgeons practice with only the DDS degree - for example, Japan - is equally broad. This baseline information will be used to monitor the growth and development of the speciality in the future.

A consensus approach to projections of the supply of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia

The analysis presented involves projections of the future requirements for the oral and maxillofacial surgeon labour force in Australia under a range of different recruitment scenarios, followed by a consensus-seeking exercise with the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) Council in an attempt to produce estimates of the most probable future requirement for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The resulting consensus estimates would result in the maintenance of the present population-to-surgeon ratio. Different premises or beliefs underlying the projections were viewed as counterbalancing each other.

Survey of Australian and new Zealand Oral and maxillofacial surgery trainees and recent specialists — education and experience

This study examined the demographic characteristics, educational background and attitudes toward training of all recent OMS specialists and all current trainees in Australia and New Zealand in 1996. The early nineties is a key period as it marks the transition from an essentially dentally based speciality (85% dental degree in 1990); to recent specialists with an increasing number with both medical and dental degrees (33% dual degree 1990-1996); to predominantly dual degree training (84.4% dual in 1996). Current trainees had more extensive experience in pathology, preprosthetic and reconstructive surgery. They were also strongly critical of the length and cost of training.

Survey of Australian and New Zealand Oral and Maxillofacial surgery trainees and recent specialists : workforce issues

This study examined Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMS) workforce issues in relation to current training in Australia and New Zealand. Earlier findings identified that there was a requirement of approximately 6 additional OMS specialists per year in Australia and one per year in New Zealand to maintain an adequate level of supply in the profession. It was found in this study that through to the early part of the next decade the number of OMS entering the Australian workforce is appropriate (5.9 per annum), but there would appear to be concerns about the sufficiency of the number entering the New Zealand workforce (0.7 per annum). In addition, the study also found possible maldistribution in the location of intended future practices, with possible shortages outside of the metropolitan areas.