Background

1
Improving the Quality of Dental Data
Improving the Quality of Dental Data Monaghan
NP, 1 Morgan MZ, 2 1 Directorate of Public
Health, Bro Taf Health Authority 2 Dental School,
University of Wales College of Medicine Backgroun
d Quality of dental epidemiology data is
dependent upon common understanding of what is
required, collection of data in line with
guidance and correction of incomplete or missing
data. Action has been taken in Wales to ensure
common understanding, require data collection in
line with guidance and provide feedback on
performance. Method Informal discussion about
and audit of the epidemiology process clarified
the roles of staff involved in dental surveys.
Changes were made to the survey protocol,
training and calibration exercise, data
collection format and process, data verification
and cleaning processes. Some changes were
intended to improve understanding of what is
required. Feedback on performance is provided.
Some data fields are mandatory. Data collection
staff are encouraged to check data. Results Betwe
en 1998 and 2000 postcode entry improved in all
health authorities. Recognition by a postcode
look-up file improved by 20 in one health
authority (Figure 1). For the survey of 5 year
olds which took place in 1999-2000 approximately
300 records had to be removed from one health
authoritys data set because subjects not been
seen. There were no such anomalies in the survey
of 12-year-olds 2000-2001 (Figure 2). In the
1999-2000 survey of 5-year-olds 7 of children
had their age incorrectly recorded. There were no
anomalous entries for age for the survey of
12-year-olds that took place in 2000/2001 (Figure
3). Conclusions Clear guidance, use of
mandatory fields, encouraging staff to correct
data at time of entry and providing feedback to
staff has increased the quality of the dental
epidemiology data collected in Wales.
Monaghan NP, 1 Morgan MZ, 2
Results Between 1998 and 2000 postcode entry
improved in all health authorities. Recognition
by a postcode look-up file improved by 20 in one
health authority (Figure 1). For the survey of 5
year olds which took place in 1999-2000
approximately 300 records had to be removed from
one health authoritys data set because subjects
not been seen. There were no such anomalies in
the survey of 12-year-olds 2000-2001. In the
1999-2000 survey of 5-year-olds 7 of children
had their age incorrectly recorded. There were no
anomalous entries for age for the survey of
12-year-olds that took place in 2000/2001 (Figure
2).
Background Quality of dental epidemiology data is
dependent upon common understanding of what is
required, collection of data in line with
guidance and correction of incomplete or missing
data. Action has been taken in Wales to ensure
common understanding, require data collection in
line with guidance and provide feedback on
performance. Method Informal discussion about
and audit of the epidemiology process clarified
the roles of staff involved in dental surveys.
Changes were made to the survey protocol,
training and calibration exercise, data
collection format and process, data verification
and cleaning processes. Some changes were
intended to improve understanding of what is
required. Feedback on performance is provided.
Some data fields are mandatory. Data collection
staff are encouraged to check data.
Figure 2 Changes in recorded inaccuracies in
age, for surveys of 5 year old children 1999/2000
and for 12 year old children 2000/2001.
Figure 1 Changes in postcode recognition rates,
for surveys of 14 year old children 1998/99 and
for 12 year old children 2000/2001.
Conclusions Clear guidance, use of mandatory
fields, encouraging staff to correct data at time
of entry and providing feedback to staff has
increased the quality of the dental epidemiology
data collected in Wales.
Acknowledgements The support of the National
Assembly for Wales is acknowledged gratefully in
the funding of the Welsh Oral Health Information
Unit and of the Dental Epidemiology and Training
Exercises.
Directorate of Public Health, Bro Taf Health
Authority Temple of Peace Health, Cathays Park,
Cardiff CF10 3NW
1 Directorate of Public Health, Bro Taf Health
Authority 2 Dental School, University of Wales
College of Medicine