RESUMO
The article deals with results of anonymous questionnaire survey of patient in private dental clinics "LiderDent" (241 respondents of able-bodied age) and "GelioDent" (419 respondents of able-bodied age). The purpose of the study was to investigate peculiarities of medical and social characteristics. The questionnaire included questions concerning social status of respondents, their financial condition, self-assessment of dental health and its maintenance at the proper level for a number of parameters, as well as evaluation of work of private dental organizations. The assessment of dental health of elderly patients established that 58.1% of respondents rated their dental health as good, 27.8% as satisfactory; and 4.1% of respondents estimated their dental health as bad. The analysis included also evaluation of negative health habits of respondents resulting in dental diseases and afflict damage to teeth and oral cavity. It was found that more than half of respondents had higher education. They consider themselves as financially secure, they did not smoke and had good condition of oral cavity. They choose dentists according recommendation of friends and seek dental care only in case of obvious signs of disease. The analysis of possible reasons for seeking dental professional revealed that 75.5% of respondents seek dental care when there are "obvious signs of disease and deterioration of health", 21.2% "when first signs of disease occurred" and 3.3% "only in critical situation". It is concluded that dental professional of private medical centers should be more widely carried out sanitary and educational work with population in order to increase the medical activity of patient, as well as to increase their awareness of ways and means of maintaining the dental health.
