Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the main purpose of taking a comprehensive dental history?
What is the main purpose of taking a comprehensive dental history?
Which type of questions is important to ask when taking a dental history?
Which type of questions is important to ask when taking a dental history?
What aspect of a patient's past might influence their current dental treatment?
What aspect of a patient's past might influence their current dental treatment?
What should be recorded alongside a patient's presenting complaint during history taking?
What should be recorded alongside a patient's presenting complaint during history taking?
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Familial dental experiences do NOT help in assessing what?
Familial dental experiences do NOT help in assessing what?
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What is a key element in understanding a patient's value system regarding their oral health?
What is a key element in understanding a patient's value system regarding their oral health?
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How does a patient's diet history contribute to dental care?
How does a patient's diet history contribute to dental care?
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What role do patients’ friends' dental experiences play in their dental history?
What role do patients’ friends' dental experiences play in their dental history?
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In terms of patient management, why is it essential to recognize opportunities for intervention during history taking?
In terms of patient management, why is it essential to recognize opportunities for intervention during history taking?
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What information is NOT typically included in a dental history?
What information is NOT typically included in a dental history?
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What is the purpose of using the SOCRATES framework in dental assessments?
What is the purpose of using the SOCRATES framework in dental assessments?
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What factors should be considered when assessing a patient's gum health?
What factors should be considered when assessing a patient's gum health?
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Which question is NOT included in the Dental History template?
Which question is NOT included in the Dental History template?
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Which information is NOT necessary during a dental history-taking regarding scaling?
Which information is NOT necessary during a dental history-taking regarding scaling?
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Inquiring about the 'Severity' of pain involves which of the following?
Inquiring about the 'Severity' of pain involves which of the following?
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What should a clinician inquire about concerning a patient's oral hygiene practices?
What should a clinician inquire about concerning a patient's oral hygiene practices?
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What information is typically gathered regarding the use of mouthguards during a dental assessment?
What information is typically gathered regarding the use of mouthguards during a dental assessment?
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What might indicate a patient's apprehension about receiving dental care?
What might indicate a patient's apprehension about receiving dental care?
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What aspect of orthodontic treatment is NOT typically asked in a dental assessment?
What aspect of orthodontic treatment is NOT typically asked in a dental assessment?
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During a dental history, why is it important to know how long patients have been experiencing gum bleeding?
During a dental history, why is it important to know how long patients have been experiencing gum bleeding?
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Which detail is important to assess regarding dentures in a dental examination?
Which detail is important to assess regarding dentures in a dental examination?
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What is an important question to ask about a patient's cleaning habits for interdental spaces?
What is an important question to ask about a patient's cleaning habits for interdental spaces?
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Which of the following reflects a potential dental issue that could be identified through the Dental History template?
Which of the following reflects a potential dental issue that could be identified through the Dental History template?
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What should be evaluated if a patient encounters sensitivity during dental procedures?
What should be evaluated if a patient encounters sensitivity during dental procedures?
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What kind of questions are typically asked to assess the previous periodontal treatment?
What kind of questions are typically asked to assess the previous periodontal treatment?
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Inquiring about parafunctional habits is crucial for understanding which aspect of a patient's oral health?
Inquiring about parafunctional habits is crucial for understanding which aspect of a patient's oral health?
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Which aspect is NOT a part of the 'Radiation' component in the SOCRATES framework?
Which aspect is NOT a part of the 'Radiation' component in the SOCRATES framework?
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How frequently should a toothbrush be changed according to best dental hygiene practices?
How frequently should a toothbrush be changed according to best dental hygiene practices?
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When questioning about dental visits, which aspect is critical to gather?
When questioning about dental visits, which aspect is critical to gather?
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What is one reason a patient may choose a specific type of toothpaste?
What is one reason a patient may choose a specific type of toothpaste?
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Study Notes
Dental History Taking
- GDC Learning Outcomes: Explain general and systemic diseases' relevance to oral health. Describe properties of relevant medicines and discuss their application in patient management. Recognize and record detailed contemporaneous patient histories.
Intended Learning Outcomes
- Recognize when to use open and closed questions.
- Explore patient concerns and investigate further.
- Identify intervention opportunities.
What is a Dental History?
- Includes many factors like Attendance, reasons for past treatment, financial factors, past dental experiences, family dental history, presenting complaints, changes to dental practice, pain history, past/current oral hygiene routines, current perceptions of their oral health, value placed on their health, past/current diet, friends' dental experiences. and the current perceptions of the dental team.
Why Take a Dental History?
- Gain insight into the patient.
- Build rapport and trust.
- Provide reassurance to the patient.
- Guide decision-making processes.
- Important for medico-legal reasons.
Epic Template - Dental History Questions
- What treatment has been provided in the last 5 years?
- How many restorations does the patient have?
- Missing teeth? Is it heavily restored?
- History of fractured teeth/fillings and associated sensitivity?
- Are the teeth worn?
- Do gums bleed during brushing or spontaneously?
- Past treatment problems?
- Are any teeth painful or sensitive?
SOCRATES Method for Pain Assessment
- Site: "Where is the pain?" "Can you point to the tooth or area in question?"
- Onset: "When did the pain start?" "Did it come on suddenly or gradually?"
- Character: "How would you describe the pain?" (e.g., aching, sore, throbbing, sharp). "Is the pain constant or does it come and go?"
- Radiation: "Does the pain spread elsewhere?"
- Associations: "Are there any other symptoms that seem associated with the pain?" (e.g., bad taste, fever).
- Time course: "How has the pain changed over time?"
- Exacerbating/Relieving Factors: "Does anything make the pain better? (e.g. analgesics). "Does anything make it worse or trigger it? (e.g., cold, touch, lying down).
- Severity: "On a scale of 0-10, how severe is the pain, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you've ever experienced?"
Additional Dental History Questions (Epic Template)
- Dental attendee: Does the patient have their own general dentist (GDP)? When was their last visit to the GDP and the previous one? Does the dentist guide when to come back, or do they decide? Do they only visit when experiencing pain? How often does the patient visit their hygienist?
- Mouthguard: Does the patient wear a mouthguard? What is it for? Was it made by a dentist? How long have they worn it for?
- Orthodontic Treatment: Have they ever had braces? Which type? How long were they on for? When were they removed? What were the teeth like before? Considering braces?
- Dentures: Do they have full or partial dentures? How long have they been wearing them? Why were the teeth removed? How do they care for their dentures? Are they happy for the dentures to be removed?
- Previous Periodontal Rx: To patient's knowledge, do they suffer from gum disease? How would they rate their gum health? Do their gums currently bleed? How long do they bleed for? History of bleeding gums? How long has this been going on? Any family history of gum problems?
- Scaling with: Hand instruments or power driven scalers? Last scaling visit (weeks/months/years), who was it with (hygienist/dentist)? Specific scaling appointment length (20/30/60 minutes)? Number of appointments?
- LA Use: Patient anxiety? Sensitivity? Deep pockets? Lots of inflammation?
- Additional Issues: Any apprehension receiving dental care? General or procedure-specific concerns. History of previous issues. Past problems relating to dental treatment? Parafunctional habits.
- Oral Hygiene History: Tooth brushing frequency, method, duration, toothbrush changes, charging habits.
- Toothpaste: Type of toothpaste used, fluoride content knowledge, usage amount. Spit or rinse?
- Interdental Cleaning: Use of interdental cleaning tools, frequency, and change schedules.
- Tongue Cleaning: Use of tongue cleaning tools, frequency.
Moving on
- Thank the patient.
- Explain the next steps.
Your Turn
- Work in groups (one actor per group).
- Swap roles.
- Identify any missed areas in the history.
- Share experiences collected.
Further Reading
- Greenwood M. Essentials of Medical History-Taking in Dental Patients. Dental Update.
- Rushworth B, Kanatas A (eds). Oxford Handbook of Clinical Dentistry.
- FGDP(UK). Clinical Examination and Record Keeping.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the importance of dental history taking and its relevance to patient management. This quiz covers aspects like patient concerns, appropriate questioning methods, and factors influencing oral health. Enhance your skills in recognizing valuable information vital for effective dental care.
