Patient Satisfaction in a University Dental Clinic: A Reflection of Students' Competencies?

University dental clinics provide oral health services but also offer a clinical teaching-learning model, which allows students to develop essential competencies.

The objective of this study is to study the patient's satisfaction at a university dental clinic, emphasising satisfaction related to the dental student's competencies.

A sample of 194 patients responded to a questionnaire applied between December 2019 and January 2020, which included a previously validated satisfaction scale. Items ranged from "1" less satisfied to "5" more satisfied. Total satisfaction resulted from the sum of 26 items of the satisfaction scale, grouped into three components (quality of treatment and relationship with the student, reception service/waiting room and scheduling and accessing appointments). Descriptive statistics were performed, including the total and each of the components' relativised mean.

Total satisfaction relativised mean was 4.0. Patients were less satisfied with "scheduling and accessing appointments" (3.3) and with "reception, opening hours and waiting room" (4.0). They were more satisfied with the component "quality of treatment and the relationship with the student" (4.2). The items of this last component showed better results, including "Examined the entire oral cavity and not only the complaint" (4.5), "Explained the diagnosis and treatment clearly" (4.5), and "He advised me on oral hygiene" (4.4).

Patients were generally satisfied with the services provided. Items related to the quality of treatment and relationship with the student obtained the best scores, revealing that students, in their university training, seem to learn the essential technical and transversal competencies for their future clinical practice.