A survey of the availability of specialist dental and oral medicine services at hospitals in Norway

In Norway, dental care and general health care are provided and financed by different organisations. Most dental care is provided in the private sector and most specialist dentists work privately in the south of Norway. There is little information on the supply of and access to specialist dental or oral medical services and the hospitals’ role in the delivery of such care. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate oral medical and dental services provided by hospitals in Norway in 2008. Methods: A short, piloted questionnaire consisting of five structured questions and space for free comments was sent to all 67 hospitals in Norway. The questions considered the employment of general or specialist dentists, the type of dental or oral medical treatment provided, an evaluation of the available services in relation to treatment needs of patients, the role of the hospital as a referral centre, and the perceived need for hospital dentists and dental specialists. Results: A total of 44 (65.7%) responses were received. A third (29.5%) of the responding hospitals employed dentists or dental specialists. Twelve hospitals (27.3%) provided a broad selection of oral medical and dental specialist services. Most hospitals (56.8%) felt that their existing (or non-existent) oral medical and dental services were insufficient in relation to patients’ needs. Half (50.0%) of the respondents felt they could have use for hospital dentists and 11 respondents (25.0%) felt a great need for oral surgeons or other dental specialists. Only 25.0% of the respondents considered their hospitals as places where dentists and dental specialists could refer their most difficult cases for consultation and treatment. Conclusions: Today, there is no formal hierarchical organisation (care chain) for dental services in Norway for patient referrals. The Public Dental Service employs few specialists, and most hospitals do not have dental personnel. Thus, there are obvious problems organising the most demanding oral medical and dental services and a lot of patients with severe diseases are not likely to have proper dental treatment in a vast country as a result of access difficulties relating to the small number of hospitals that provide specialist dental services and the distances from patients’ homes to such hospitals.