Orthodontic treatment needs in Saudi young adults and manpower requirements.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate orthodontic treatment needs using the index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) components and to estimate the required manpower in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 670 participants (390 females and 280 males) collected between November 2016 and April 2017, whose ages ranged from 12-19 years from secondary and high school students. Treatment needs were estimated using the IOTN components, dental health component (DHC), and aesthetic component (AC). RESULTS: The results according to the severity of malocclusion using IOTN-DHC found that 24.3% of the cases required severe/extreme need and 54.3% were in the no/slight need category. The most frequent types of malocclusion were crowding (48.8%) followed by increased overjet (21.8%), and spacing (16.1%). Using Pearson's Chi-squared test, there was a statistically significant association (p less than 0.001) between IOTN-DHC and IOTN-AC; 51.2% of the sample was in agreement at the mild need category, indicating a strong correlation, with a coefficient of 0.687. CONCLUSION: According to the IOTN's components, the present study showed that almost one-quarter of the sample had a severe/extreme need for orthodontic treatment. The most frequent type of malocclusion traits according to the severity was crowding followed by increased overjet and then spacing. The Ministry of Health must employ 90-110 orthodontists in Jeddah to meet the demands of the definite needs for orthodontics in adolescents.

Prediction model of regional orthodontic workforce needs, using Greece as an example.

AIM: To develop a theoretical aepidemiological model for the prediction of orthodontic workforce needs, based on regional orthodontic treatment need. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected for the number of children between the ages of 8-11 years attending primary schools in Greece, within each regional division. Treatment need of the children was estimated using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Demographics of practicing orthodontists in Greece were also collected. Based on the distribution of orthodontists and the number of children per region who would potentially receive orthodontic treatment (IOTN 3-5), the presence and distribution of orthodontic manpower was evaluated. RESULTS: Overall orthodontic manpower is sufficient for Greece's needs with an excess of 55 orthodontists. Distribution however is not uniform, and this ranges from a large underrepresentation of orthodontists in the Ionian Islands (47% of those required) to an overrepresentation in the Attica region (183% of those required). CONCLUSION: Based on the present theoretical model, Greece has an adequate overall orthodontic workforce for coverage of the population needs, but with large regional variations indicating that some regions have a surplus while others a shortage of orthodontists. The present model seems suitable for the calculation of regional orthodontic workforce coverage of a population.