Dental Questionnaire

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31680, 16 May 1968, Page 6

Dental Questionnaire

(N.Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN, May 14. Within the next few days 5000 persons throughout New Zealand will receive a letter from Sir John Walsh, dean of the University of Otago dental school, asking

them to complete a questionnaire on their dental health. The aims of the survey are to determine the percentage of the population, at different age levels, who still have their natural teeth or are wearing some form of denture.

The questionnaire also asks when dentures worn were made and. in the case of people wearing full upper and lower dentures, how old they were when they had their first set of full dentures made. People taking part in the survey were selected at random from 10 electoral rolls— Piako. Marsden, Auckland Central, Waitomo, Christchurch Central, Awarua, St Kilda, New Plymouth, Manu-

kau and Miramar—in the University of Otago computer centre.

These 5000 people represent a true cross-section of the New Zealand population. If, as is hoped, all or nearly all of them return their questionnaires to the dental school reliable information about denture wearing will be obtained. When compared with a survey done in 1950 by Sir John Walsh and Professor G. N Davies, it will be possible to tell if an improvement is taking place in the proportion of adult New Zealanders who keep their natural teeth.