Patient-provider communication during consultations for elective dental procedures: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Communication Studies
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Patient-provider communication (PPC) is essential for patient-centered dental care.
• Existing research on PPC factors in elective dental procedures lacks comprehensive synthesis.
• This review addresses the need for a structured overview of influencing factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically scope the literature on factors affecting PPC during elective dental consultations.
• To identify and categorize factors influencing patient-provider communication in this context.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of English-language original research published since 1990.
• Searches across four databases, Google Scholar, and reference lists until August 2023.
• Narrative synthesis of data from 37 included studies.

Main Results:

• Thirty-seven studies were included, primarily in orthodontics, using prospective cohort and cross-sectional designs.
• Common outcomes measured were information recall, patient satisfaction, and comprehension.
• Nineteen factors influencing PPC were identified, categorized into information delivery (4), patient-related (9), and provider-related (6).

Conclusions:

• This review presents the first evidence-based list of factors impacting PPC in elective dental settings.
• Identifying these factors is crucial for developing targeted interventions to enhance PPC.
• Recommendations include optimizing information delivery, patient engagement, consultation time, and provider communication training.