Patient attendance at a UK dental hospital emergency clinic

A questionnaire survey was performed within a dental emergency clinic at a London teaching hospital to determine patients' reasons for attendance and satisfaction with their care. Questionnaires were distributed to all patients registering for the dental emergency clinic over a four week period. A total of 1,058 questionnaires were returned, with an average satisfaction score of 9.3/10. The majority of patients (58%) reported symptomatic dental attendance. Common reasons for irregular attendance were lack of perceived 'need' for care and concerns about cost of care. Patients with irregular attendance were significantly more likely to report their past dental care had been affected by cost than regular attenders. Fifty-one percent of all respondents had tried to make an appointment with a dentist prior to attending the emergency clinic, and 21% of patients with a GDP reporting difficulty accessing urgent care at their practice. Forty-nine percent of patients attending the emergency clinic were referred to oral surgery clinics. Overall, this survey revealed high levels of satisfaction with care in this dental emergency clinic. Patients' reasons for attendance at the clinic can be considered in terms of 'push' and 'pull' factors, deterring them from primary dental care and drawing them into secondary/tertiary care environments.