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National Study Reveals that Nearly Half of Referrals Made to Dental Specialists Go Unfulfilled

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Survey offered insight on what patients are looking for in a specialist
Posted: June 24, 2008
National Study Reveals that Nearly Half of Referrals Made to Dental Specialists Go Unfulfilled
- Specialists Could Lose, on Average, $953.00 to $5,150.00 per Unfulfilled Referral -

Deltona, Fla. June 24, 2008 — A national research study conducted by Kelton Research
and released today found that among the 53 percent of Americans who have been referred
to a dental specialist, nearly one in two (46 percent) of these referrals have gone unfulfilled.
Lost and unfulfilled referrals adversely affect patients by leading to larger health concerns
and result in lost revenue for specialists, averaging anywhere from $953.00 to $5,150.00
every time a patient neglects to follow through on a dental referral.

The study also revealed that younger Americans, ages 18-49, are much more likely to
disregard dental referrals than their older counterparts (50 percent vs. 39 percent).

“The survey exposes the source of a fundamental knowledge disconnect between patients
needing urgent and specific dental care and the specialist community that can provide that
care when given the proper information,” said Rachel Bonsignore, Director at Kelton
Research. “Leaving the responsibility for referral information transfer between general
practitioner and specialist in the hands of the patient is neither efficient nor effective.”

Specialists, including a wide range of practices such as endodontists, oral and maxillofacial
surgeons, orthodontists, pediatric dentists, periodontists, and prosthodontists, rely heavily
on referrals from general dentists in order to provide the best quality of care and treatment
to their patients. Unfulfilled referrals can hinder quality health care management and lead to
larger health concerns for patients.

“As a general dentist practicing for the past 30 years, I have seen the implications that result
from the current antiquated referral system,” said Michael Zerivitz, D.D.S., of Deltona, Fla.
“Delays in treatment processes for patients often lead to larger health issues.”
The survey also offered insight on what patients are looking for in a specialist:

• The Human Touch — Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of patients would be more
comfortable seeing a dental specialist if they knew that the specialist was familiar
with the specific details of the case.

• Going the Extra Mile — Americans are looking for doctors to familiarize themselves
with their unique problems. It would be especially helpful if specialists called ahead
of the appointment (29 percent) or let patients know they had their x-rays and
records before the visit (60 percent).

• The Right Experience — It is very important to the majority of patients that they’re
seeing a specialist with experience on issues similar to their own (68 percent).
“The fact that the current referral system is inefficient and obsolete is widely known in our
profession,” added Zerivitz. “Patients needing specialized treatment deserve better.”

About Kelton Research
Kelton Research is a full service global insights firm with offices in Los Angeles, New
York, and Washington, DC, and is America’s fastest growing National Market
Research Consultancy. Serving as strategic partner to more than 100 of the Fortune
500 and thousands of smaller companies and organizations, Kelton utilizes a wide
range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to drive tactical recommendations
for clients. For more information about Kelton’s services, please call
(310) 479-4040 or visit www.keltonresearch.com <http://www.keltonresearch.com> .
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