Consumer satisfaction with dental care: where have we been, where are we going?

This paper reviews research developments in the area of dental patient satisfaction over the past three decades, contrasts these with comparable developments in medicine, and suggests directions for future work in the dental arena. The conclusion of the review is that developments in managed care in medicine have stimulated a level of effort in patient satisfaction measures that have gone well beyond that in managed dental care. Analogous work in dentistry is needed as managed dental care plans grow in number.