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Patient satisfaction in a dental school.
B E Lafont1, D M Gardiner, J Hochstedler
1Louisiana State University School of Dentistry, New Orleans, USA.
Summary
Patients reported high satisfaction with dental school care, facility, and staff. Most would recommend the dental school, though appointment and treatment times could be improved.
Area of Science:
- Dental Public Health
- Patient Satisfaction Studies
- Healthcare Quality Assessment
Background:
- Dental school clinics provide essential care and training.
- Assessing patient satisfaction is crucial for service improvement and quality assurance.
- Understanding patient perceptions informs operational enhancements in dental education settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate patient satisfaction with facilities, services, and treatment at a dental school clinic.
- To identify key drivers of patient choice and satisfaction in a dental school setting.
- To gather feedback for improving the patient experience and operational efficiency.
Main Methods:
- A 31-item questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale was administered to 500 patients.
- Surveys assessed satisfaction with facility, staff, treatment progress, fees, and overall care quality.
- Data analysis included frequency computations and cross-tabulations by demographics.
Main Results:
- Low cost was the primary reason for choosing the dental school (67%).
- Over 90% of patients were satisfied with most aspects of care, with 99% willing to recommend the clinic.
- Areas for improvement included appointment scheduling and treatment duration.
Conclusions:
- The dental school clinic generally provides a high level of patient satisfaction.
- Addressing appointment and treatment wait times is recommended to further enhance patient experience.
- Positive patient feedback underscores the value of dental school clinics in providing accessible and quality care.