The importance of health histories and disclosure

The purpose of this study was to evaluate dental patients understanding and value of their health history as it relates to their oral health and dental treatment in the USA. Many times valuable health information is missing because the patient fails to include this upon updating their health history. The objective in finding why this is such a common occurrence was achieved by carrying out two surveys to better understand patients' knowledge and perspective of systemic and oral health relationships.

For years, I have advised patients with regards to their oral health in relationship to nutrition, and most recently for the past five years in orofacial myofunctional disorders. Many of these issues appear on the health histories of the patients if they are filled out properly, which brings me to the topic of my research. Do patients perceive their health history information as a vital part of their dental visit?