ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To examine what impact the loss of funding had on the utilization of the oral pathology service.</p><p><b>METHODOLOGY</b>Biopsy records were retrieved and examined in the two year period before and after the elimination of the subsidies in 2003.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After the loss of funding, there was a 31% decrease in the number of specimens submitted from practitioners in private practice, with the greatest drop noted in submissions from endodontists.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Despite the immediate decrease in the number of biopsies submitted after the introduction of fee-for-service, the number of specimens being submitted appears to be on the rise again, as practitioners appear to recognize the value of a specialized oral pathology diagnostic service.</p>