Patient-dentist relationship

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Dentistry
• Dental Psychology
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• The patient-dentist relationship is crucial for effective dental care.
• Dental anxiety significantly impacts patient experience and treatment adherence.
• Effective communication is vital for patient satisfaction and trust in dentistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review behavioral dentistry research from the past two decades.
• To assess progress in areas like patient-dentist relationships, dental anxiety, communication, and patient satisfaction.
• To identify areas for future research in behavioral dentistry.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of behavioral dentistry research.
• Focus on studies published within the last 20 years.
• Analysis of research concerning patient-dentist interactions, dental anxiety, communication strategies, and patient satisfaction metrics.

Main Results:

• Limited significant advancements observed in behavioral dentistry over the past two decades.
• Progress in understanding and managing dental anxiety remains incremental.
• Patient satisfaction and communication effectiveness show areas needing further investigation.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral dentistry has not seen substantial progress in key areas.
• Further research is recommended to enhance patient-dentist relationships and address dental anxiety.
• Developing innovative communication strategies is essential for improving patient satisfaction.