Hypertension screening among dental patients.

Between January 1974 and March 1975, blood pressures were taken on all 2,222 dental patients admitted for treatment at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry. According to the criteria of an elevated diastolic blood pressure (above 95 mm Hg) at three successive readings not less than five days apart, 131 patients were referred to physicians as suspected hypertensives. One hundred and thirteen patients were deemed hypertensive by their physician. A positive family history of hypertension was noted for 54% of the 113 undetected hypertensives. Of the 113 hypertensives, 6% visited their dentist yearly but did not visit their physician during the same time. On this basis we conclude that about 6% of dental patients can be expected to be referred to physicians as a result of high blood pressure screening in a dentist's office.