Patient perceptions regarding benefits of single visit scale and polish: a randomised controlled trial

BMC Oral Health

Table 6 Patient perceptions of scale and polish frequency at follow up

	6-month group	12-month group	24-month group	Statistical analysis
How often do you think you need a scale and polish?
Follow-up (N = 300)
N (%)
Once every 3 months	19 (18.3)	16 (16.2)	15 (15.5)	Kruskal-Wallis
Once every 6 months	62 (59.6)	55 (55.6)	48 (49.5)	P = 0.194
Once a year	20 (19.2)	21 (21.2)	26 (26.8)
Once every 18 months	0	3 (3.0)	4 (4.1)
Once every 2 years	1 (1.0)	1 (1.0)	4 (4.1)
Less frequently than every 2 years	2 (1.9)	3 (3.0)	0
Follow-up dichotomised data (N = 300)
N (%)
Every 6 months or more				Χ² test
frequently^g	81 (77.9)	71 (71.7)	63 (64.9)	P = 0.126
Every year or less frequently^h	23 (22.1)	28 (28.3)	34 (35.2)	P = 0.126
Complete dataset analysis (N = 300)
Odds Ratio from Logistic	1.00	1.70	2.89	-
regression (95% CI) for follow-up adjusted for baseline frequency		(0.80, 3.59)	(1.36, 6.13)	-
Multiple imputation (N = 366)
Odds Ratio from Logistic regression	1.00	1.76	3.09	-
(95% CI) for follow-up adjusted for baseline high level of oral cleanliness	1.00	(0.80, 3.86)	(1.33, 7.20)	-

^gDefined as a participant reporting a required scale and polish frequency of 'once every 3 months’ or 'once every 6 months’;
^hDefined as a participant reporting a required scale and polish frequency of 'once every year’, 'once every 18 months’, 'once every 2 years’ or 'less frequently than every 2 years.’

ISSN: 1472-6831