ABSTRACT
The practice-profile-time study is a method developed by Joint FDI/WHO Working Group 9 on the study of 'Economic factors related to the delivery of oral services and oral health' to record the time spent by general dental practitioners on different practice activities. The method was developed to support the policies of National Dental Associations, but can also be used by general dental practitioners themselves. This method was tested in nine countries. The method has proved to be reliable and valid, and produces a vast amount of useful information for Dental Associations and for individual practitioners.
Subject(s)
Dental Care , Adult , Canada , Denmark , Dentistry, Operative , Diagnosis, Oral , Finland , France , General Practice, Dental/organization & administration , Hong Kong , Humans , Japan , Netherlands , New Zealand , Preventive Dentistry , Reproducibility of Results , Sweden , Time FactorsABSTRACT
A survey was carried out on successes and failures in dental group practice in the Netherlands. The results provided insight into such matters as job satisfaction, remuneration and how time was spent by colleagues working in group practices as well as in the construction and organization of group practices themselves. A sharp increase in the creation of new group practices in 1971 was followed by a sudden decline after 1979 due to a variety of factors. The results of the survey show that four important aspects have to be discussed seriously and regularly by dentists working in a group practice. These are: cost, composition; cooperation; and character. 'Failures' in group practices are always in relation to one or more of these factors.
