Patient-Centred Care in Dentistry: Definitions and Models - Commentary

Area of Science:

• Dental research
• Healthcare delivery

Background:

• Patient-centered care is increasingly adopted in healthcare settings like family medicine and nursing.
• Its application and study in dentistry remain limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of patient-centered care studies in dentistry.
• To define patient-centered care within the dental context.
• To explore models operationalizing patient-centered care in dentistry.

Main Methods:

• This commentary reviews existing literature on patient-centered care in dentistry.
• It synthesizes definitions and models relevant to the dental field.

Main Results:

• Patient-centered care is relevant to dental education and practice.
• Guidelines encourage dentists to adopt patient-centered approaches.
• Evidence suggests positive outcomes associated with patient-centered care in dentistry.

Conclusions:

• Patient-centered care is an important, yet understudied, approach in dentistry.
• Further research and implementation are needed to realize its benefits in dental settings and education.