Introduction: in Chile, 70% of the children of age 5-14 years old have malocclusions, existing up to 2 years of waiting lists in the public health services. This makes indispensable the optimization of the orthodontics resources. A research project conducted by the University of Chile, developed, validated and applied, in a pilot plan, an Orthodontics Clinical Reference Guide (OCRG), composed by a new index of orthodontics treatment plan, reference rules according to age and dentition, and inclusion criterions.
In the pilot plan, the guide was applied through a randomized cohorts study in the north area of Santiago city in the year 2008. The aim was to evaluate the impact of the guide on the reference criterion of the general dental practitioners of Chilean´s public health services.
Method: two calibrated Orthodontist, evaluated representative samples of 149 referenced patients with (training and calibration of 32 dentists) and without intervention.
Results: 48.3% of the references without intervention were incorrect for one or more reasons: 33.6% did not respect the inclusion criterions, 13.4% had mild malocclusions and 11.4% did not have an adequate age and/or dentition. In the references made with intervention, only 1.3% was incorrect for one or more reasons: 0.67 % did not respect the inclusion criterions, 0.7% had mild malocclusions and 0.67% didn´t have an adequate age and/or dentition. These results were significantly different (p< 0.00001).
Conclusion: the OCRG used by general dental practitioners calibrated, improved the services management, decreased incorrect references, modified and standardized the general practitioners reference´s criterion.