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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Contents Vol 30(3)

Perceptions of general practitioners towards managing dental presentations in Australia: a qualitative study

Ruby Biezen https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1736-9675 A , Angel Leong B and Leanne Teoh https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9138-813X B *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

B Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

* Correspondence to: leanne.teoh@unimelb.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 30, PY23217 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY23217
Submitted: 20 November 2023  Accepted: 20 March 2024  Published: 15 April 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Patients presenting with dental pain are common in general practice, despite dental infections being most appropriately managed with dental treatment to address the cause of the infection. Although antibiotics are not appropriate for the management of localised toothache without signs of systemic spread, general practitioners (GPs) often prescribe antibiotics and analgesics for the management of dental pain. The aim of this study was to explore GPs’ perceptions and management of dental presentations in Australia.

Methods

Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs across Victoria, Australia, between October 2022 and January 2023. Data were thematically analysed.

Results

The study found that dental pain was the most common presenting complaint for patients attending general practice with a dental problem. Five major themes were identified in this study: knowledge, beliefs about capabilities, emotion, environmental context and resources, and social influences/social professional role and identity. In terms of knowledge and capabilities, GPs would advise patients to seek dental care, as they are aware that antibiotics would not resolve the underlying issue. Challenges for GPs included limited training in oral and dental treatment, as well as emotions, such as patient anxiety and phobia resulting in patients seeking dental care through a GP rather than a dentist. Barriers due to the context, such as access to dental care, long waiting lists within the public dental system and cost, were some of the reasons patients present to general practice rather than a seeing a dentist. Furthermore, issues that influenced GPs’ antibiotic prescribing included patients’ expectations for antibiotics to treat their dental pain, as well as dentists advising their patients to attend their GP for antibiotics prior to dental treatment.

Conclusions

This study identified factors that influenced GPs’ management of patients with dental conditions. To address these issues, it is imperative to develop interventions addressing patients’ knowledge around oral health, as well as providing improved access to dental care for these patients.

Keywords: antibiotic, antibiotic prescribing, dental, dentist, general practitioner, patient healthcare, primary care, toothache.

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