Abstract:
This interventional study was conducted to find out the effect of the proposed modified
recording and reporting system designed to improve reporting of oral health care in
government hospitals in Sri Lanka. The study was conducted in two clinical set-ups: namely
OPO dental clinics providing routine dental care and OPD dental clinics providing special
dental care. The interventions were the introduction of modified recording and reporting
system and the training of the service providers. The main indicator to assess the
effectiveness was the quality of recording and reporting of data in the modified recording
and reporting system. Assessment of the effectiveness of the quality of the modified
recording and reporting system introduced to OPD Dental Clinics providing routine dental
care, was measured by comparing it with the quality of the existing recording and reporting
system. The effectiveness of the training programme for Dental Surgeons was assessed in
don to their knowledge and attitude towards the recording and reporting system using selfadministered questionnaire. The results obtained from pre and post interventional
assessments of knowledge and attitude of those Dental Surgeons working in experimental
and control areas, towards the recording and reporting system were compared to assess the
effectiveness. Training programme for Dental Surgeons was effective as significant
improvements were noted in relation to the overall knowledge as well as the overall attitude
of the Dental Surgeons in the experimental area after the intervention. These findings
identify the need for in-service training programmes linked with activities in which the
knowledge could be applied. Modified recording and reporting system improved the quality
information in the oral health information system of OPD dental clinics providing routine
dental care. Improvements were noted in relation to several parameters assessing the quality,
namely the availability, accuracy, completeness and legibility of Patient's OPD Tickets; the
accuracy, completeness, legibility and timeliness of Daily Registers; and the accuracy and
timeliness of the Monthly Reports. As there was no proper information system in the OPD
dental clinics providing special dental care prior to the intervention, the results obtained
from these clinics in this study were fairly satisfactory. This can be further improved
