Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39923052›Full record

Observational studyBMC primary care2025

Physician characteristics associated with the referral from general practitioners to dental surgeons and proposal for a referral letter template endorsed by dental surgeons in France: a nationwide cross-sectional survey-based study.

Matthias Lamauviniere, Jan Chrusciel, Cassandre Finot, Adrien Basset, Maximillien Graftieaux, Aline Ohl-Hurtaud, Stéphane Sanchez

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC primary care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Matthias LamauviniereGeneral Practice Department, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
Jan ChruscielPublic Health and Performance Department, Troyes Hospital, 101 Avenue Anatole France, Troyes, 10000, France.
Cassandre FinotGeneral Practice Department, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
Adrien BassetDepartment of Dental Surgery, Troyes Hospital, 101 Avenue Anatole France, Troyes, 10000, France.
Maximillien GraftieauxGeneral Practice, 1 rue du chêne, Rosières près de Troyes, 10430, France.
Aline Ohl-HurtaudGeneral Practice Department, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
Stéphane SanchezPublic Health and Performance Department, Troyes Hospital, 101 Avenue Anatole France, Troyes, 10000, France. stephane.sanchez@hcs-sante.fr.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInterprofessional relationships between general practitioners (GPs) and dental surgeons with a doctorate in dental surgery are essential for the optimal management of the oral health of patients. The objectives of this study were to describe the factors associated with the referral of patients from GPs to dental surgeons in France, and to improve referral practices by establishing a standardized set of items to be included in a referral letter.

methodsA nationwide, observational, survey-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from 9 February 2023 to 6 April 2023. Two 13-item questionnaires were sent to GPs and dental surgeons. Data on practitioner characteristics, frequency, and perceived usefulness of medical correspondence between the two healthcare professionals were collected. Candidate items selected by expert medical opinion for a standardized referral letter template were appraised by the responding oral surgeons.

resultsA group of 245 dental surgeons (mean age: 38.2 ± 11.1 years, 64.5% female) and 235 GPs (mean age: 36.8 ± 9.8 years, 71.9% female) participated in this study. Medical correspondence between GPs and dental surgeons was reported to be insufficient by most dental surgeons (91.4%). Dental surgeons agreed that GP correspondence could decrease the occurrence of adverse events linked with dental care (mean score: 7.36 ± 2.4, for a maximum of 10). Only 20% of GPs indicated that they had regular communication with dental surgeons. The physician characteristics under study were not statistically associated with initiating referrals. The items most frequently selected by dental surgeons for inclusion in a template referral letter were the presence of diabetes (99.6%), of immunosuppression (98.8%), and medication by anticoagulant or antiplatelet agents (98.3%).

conclusionsDespite known links between oral and general health, most healthcare professionals did not engage in correspondence or referrals with the other specialty. Standardized referral letters could include the list of items for which interest was confirmed by dental surgeons (including presence of diabetes, immunosuppressants and anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents).

Indexed as

Correspondence as TopicGeneral PractitionersOral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsReferral and ConsultationAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFranceHumansInterprofessional RelationsMaleMiddle AgedPractice Patterns, Physicians'Surveys and QuestionnairesDentistryGeneral practitionersInterprofessionalOral healthPrimary healthcare

Identifiers

PMID39923052
PMCPMC11806749

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.