[Institutionalized elderly in Reykjavik in 1984. Their opinions of dental visits, need for dental service and possible changes in dental service and third party payments].

In 1984 an investigation was done among a random sample of 400 old-age pensioners, 67 yrs, and older, who were either inmates of old people's residential or nursing homes or long-term patients in geriatric departments at the hospitals in Reykjavík. A dentist asked all participants standardised questions, among which were: questions concerning dental visiting habits; opinion on the dental public health system; subjective estimation on own need for dental services; opinion on the services rendered by the dental profession; and refunds of dental fees by the public health system. During the last twelve month period only 16.6% had visited a dentist and 34% had not gone to a dentist for more than 20 years. Of those who had made use of dental services during the last 5-10 years, 79.6% said they were satisfied. Barely 75% considered themselves in need of dental services, and 67.6% claimed that they would not seek dental services more frequently if they were made available in the institution, or if free transportation were available to the dentist's office. Only 35.9% said that they would make use of free dental checkups, while 82.2% however were in favour of free health services for old age pensioners. For statistical analysis chi-square at 5% level was used, comparing the answers by sex, age, and institution. There was no statistically significant difference with the exception of difference between institutions with regard to a question of free dental services (0.005 less than p less than 0.01). This question however did not give a significant difference between the sexes or the two different age groups.