Patient Satisfaction with Three Dental Speciality Services: A Centre-Based Study

Abstract

Objective: To assess the level of patient satisfaction with three dental speciality services: oral surgery, periodontics, and fixed prosthodontics. Subjects and Methods: A sample of 1,242 patients, aged 16 years and over who received dental care at least twice at the main dental centre, Al-Amiri, Kuwait, were interviewed during May–August 1998 by independent researchers concerning their experience of previous visits. Patients reported their level of satisfaction on a 5-point Likert scale for the items in the questionnaire, which focused on four areas: access, dentist’s communication, staff helpfulness, and structural aspects of the practice. Results: On average 49.4% (25.9–89.6%) of participating patients rated the level of care received as excellent. Areas rated poorest included waiting time for an appointment and waiting time in the clinic to access the dentist. Participants were less satisfied with doctor’s explanation of illness, dental treatment and confidentiality of medical records. The areas that received excellent ratings by patients included: (a) communication (listening and understanding complaints 40.0% and courteous treatment 57.8%), and (b) structural aspects (availability of infection control and safety measures 89.6% and packed sterilized instruments 78.9%). Conclusion: Findings indicate that the level of patient satisfaction was reasonably high. Areas identified as needing improvement included: dentist-patient communication skills, medical records, appointment systems, and shortening of the waiting time to access the dentist.

Satisfaction with urgent oral care among adult Tanzanians

“…Cost of care has also been shown to have a negative effect on patient satisfaction among adults in Sweden (22). The low levels of satisfaction with explanation of treatment reported in the present study were similar to those reported in the United Arab Emirates (20) and Kuwait (25). In this study, one of the explanations for the very low satisfaction with treatment cost might have been that cost sharing in health is a relatively new concept among Tanzanians.…”

“…High levels of patient satisfaction have been reported in different countries (20)(21)(22)(23), and the most important factors influencing this have included cost, waiting time, care organisation and reception (22), belief about the care received and the environment of care (24), communication skills and structural aspects of the clinic (25), belief in the dentist, and pain control (26). In Sweden, Riley et al (27) indicated that rural respondents were less likely to be satisfied with dental care than urban respondents, and that male young adults were more likely to report satisfaction than young female adults (26).…”

Factors associated with dental visit and barriers to utilisation of oral health care services in a sample of antenatal mothers in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

“…Waiting time is an important quality indicator in measuring the outcome of any medical service. Extended waiting time at the dental clinic and substantial delay in receiving the needed care had resulted in patient dissatisfaction with the care provided [29,30]. For most mothers in this study, time was an important essence as reflected in their responses that they were busy either at work or running the household chores.…”

Patient satisfaction analysis on service quality of dental health care based on empathy and responsiveness

“…This is in concordance with several studies reporting that waiting time was the least satisfactory issue. [15–18] Dissatisfaction with waiting time in the clinic reveals an important problem that needs to be resolved, possibly through limiting the number of patients to reduce the waiting time. [15] But it is difficult to apply in this hospital, as the number of patients in need of dental treatment are quite high.…”

“…[15–18] Dissatisfaction with waiting time in the clinic reveals an important problem that needs to be resolved, possibly through limiting the number of patients to reduce the waiting time. [15] But it is difficult to apply in this hospital, as the number of patients in need of dental treatment are quite high. The possible way to solve the problem is by increasing the numbers of dental staff in the polyclinic, as well as the dental chairs.…”