Patient satisfaction with oral urgent treatment (OUT) in North West Tanzania

A pilot questionnaire survey was carried out to determine levels of patient satisfaction with oral urgent treatment (OUT) provided by rural clinical officers who had been trained by the charity Bridge2Aid in North West Tanzania.

The survey was carried out over a five-day period, among adult patients who had received oral urgent treatment from a trained clinical officer. A satisfaction questionnaire was administered by a team of English-speaking dental students and Swahili-speaking college students under supervision.

A total of 140 questionnaires were completed. The overall satisfaction with the OUT service provided by the clinical officers was high, with 93.6% being very satisfied or satisfied. However, some areas were highlighted where improvements could be made: providing a clearer explanation of treatment, improved pain control and reducing costs of treatment.