Impact of the systematic use of the informed consent form at public dental care units in Galicia (Spain).

Aim: To ascertain the impact of routine application of the informed consent form at the primary dental care units of the Galician Health Service.

Study Design: Non random selection of consecutive patients seeking tooth extraction between 9 January and 7 March 2007 at the dental care units of Burela, Praza do Ferrol and Viveiro (Lugo). The study included sociodemographic, clinical, utilization, behavioural and IC-related variables.

Stress amongst primary dental care patients.

Aims: to determine the prevalence of dental fear amongst primary dental care units (PDCU) patients and to characterize them according to socio-demographic features.

Study Design: non-probabilistic sampling on new and consecutive patients demanding exodontia at the Burela, Praza do Ferrol and Viveiro (Lugo) PDCUs from 9 january to 7 march and from 18 june to 21 september 2007. The variables considered were "demographic" (age, gender, address and educational level), "treatment-related" (reason for extraction, root extraction), "attitudes" (accompanied yes/no, spontaneous fear comments yes/no) and "stress" determined using a visual analogue scale (VAS).