Compliance levels of recommended maintenance in a private periodontal practice

The problem of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the patient compliance level of periodontal maintenance after an alteration of dental practice strategies. The following variables were examined: activity status of patients, alternating status, and type of periodontal treatment initially rendered. A follow-up descriptive study using an ex post facto design was the strategy employed. In this study, the percentage of patients in complete compliance to the recommended periodontal maintenance or supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) program was 32%. In addition, it was determined that patients who alternated recall appointments with their general dentists had a higher compliance rating than those patients who did not alternate. The compliance levels of patients treated with surgery as compared to those treated with scaling and root planing were similar.