ArticlePloS one2025
Visual complexity of dental intake forms and its association with dental treatment outcomes: A retrospective cohort study.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundWhile many factors influence dental treatment outcomes, the visual characteristics of intake forms-such as the amount of handwriting-remain largely unexplored. Clinical impressions suggest that minimal or excessive form completion may reflect patient engagement or psychological disposition. To examine whether the visual complexity of intake forms, quantified as a "writing ratio," is associated with treatment prognosis in dental settings.
methodsThis retrospective cohort study included 813 patients who received a comprehensive dental consultation at Fukuoka Dental College Hospital in 2016. Intake forms were scanned and processed using Python and OpenCV to calculate the writing ratio, defined as the percentage of black pixels in the image. Patients were categorized into tertiles (Low, Mid, High) based on this ratio. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations with poor treatment outcomes (defined as dropout or clinician-initiated discontinuation), adjusting for age, sex, diagnosis, and the experience of the most senior attending dentist. An exploratory scoring system was constructed using key predictors and evaluated via ROC analysis.
resultsPatients in the Low writing ratio group had a significantly higher risk of poor outcomes compared to the Mid group (adjusted OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.07-2.18, p = 0.019). No significant difference was observed between the Mid and High groups. A subgroup of middle-aged females exhibited the highest dropout rate. The exploratory scoring system showed modest discriminative performance (AUC = 0.544).
conclusionsLower visual complexity of intake forms may reflect disengagement or unclear communication and is associated with poorer treatment outcomes. Intake form appearance may serve as an early behavioral indicator and support risk stratification in dental care. Redesigning intake forms to capture both structural and behavioral cues may enhance early clinical assessment and care planning.
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