Survey: U.S. patients unfamiliar with dental terms

Insurer Delta Dental has released results from a survey showing that many U.S. adults are not familiar with key dental terms, such as sealant and periodontal disease.

Delta Dental surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults and reported that, while 92% of respondents were familiar with plaque, more than 75% of adults were not familiar with terms such as caries and bruxism.

A third of respondents reported they were not familiar with the phrase periodontal disease and 40% were not sure about the definition of sealant.

The survey results suggested that patients should ask questions of their oral health practitioner to ensure informed treatment decisions, noted Joseph Dill, DDS, vice president of dental science and network strategy for Delta Dental Plans Association.