Compliance With Supportive Periodontal Therapy. Part 1. Risk of Non‐Compliance in the First 5–Year Period

Background: Supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) is needed for the success of periodontal therapy; however, patient compliance is poor. This study evaluates records from non‐compliant patients in an attempt to identify a profile of patients with a higher risk of becoming non‐compliant. Methods: Data on 874 patients who had completed active periodontal treatment up to 5 years earlier and who had begun SPT were analyzed for risk of non‐compliance. The factors evaluated were gender (326 males and 548 females); type of therapy (surgical or non‐surgical) and age (≤20; 21 to 30; 31 to 40; 41 to 50; and ≥51 years) and the relationships among them. Results: The overall rate of non‐compliance was 46.8%, and the relative risk for non‐compliance was greater in the younger age groups (≤40 years old) when compared to the older groups. Gender, age, and type of therapy as independent factors were not significant risk factors for non‐compliance, but the association of the 3 factors produced interesting results. Conclusions: This study suggests that certain patient groups have a higher risk of non‐compliance and that clinicians should intensify their efforts in motivating and instructing these patient groups in the importance of SPT. J Periodontol 1999;70:679‐682.