The dentist-patient relationship: perceived dentist behaviors that reduce patient anxiety and increase satisfaction

This study relates perceived dentist behaviors to anxiety reduction in patients during treatment, and to satisfaction with the dental visit. The sample consisted of 250 adult patients, 110 men and 140 women, at two outpatient hospital dental clinics. Immediately after treatment, patients were asked to respond to a list of 25 dentist behaviors thought to be associated with positive dentist-patient interaction. Criterion measures obtained by patients were self-ratings of anxiety during treatment and satisfaction measures from the DVSS. Ten behaviors were significantly associated with anxiety reduction. A stepwise multiple regression analysis with anxiety reduction as the dependent variable indicated that to the patient, the dentist's explicit dedication to prevent pain was the most important dentist behavior, with friendliness, working quickly, being calm, and giving moral support, being important auxiliary behaviors. Most of the 25 dentist behaviors studied were associated with patient satisfaction. A stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the dentist's empathy and communicativeness were among important correlates of patient satisfaction. An experimental approach to causal analysis of anxiety reducing behaviors needs to be studied.