study to evaluate patient preferences in the decision making of dental treatment

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to explore patient preferences in their dental treatment decision making and establish their role as active, passive or collaborative. Questionnaire based cross-sectional. Department of Prosthodontics and the Executive private clinics of the Islamic International Dental College, Hospital from the 1[st] of February till the 30th of March 2012. A convenience sample of 80 patients, 40 recruited from the Department of Prosthodontics and 40 from the executive clinics at the Islamic International Dental College were interviewed and their preferences for participation in treatment decision making were established using a measurement tool designed to elicit decision-making preferences. Patient preferences for participation in treatment decision making were established using a simplistic modification of the Control Preference Scale [CPS] tool. This study found that 45% clinic patients perceived active/semi-active roles in treatment decision making, 42.5% chose passive/semi-passive roles. 90% patients interviewed at the Department of Prosthodontics preferred passive/semi-passive roles. Over all, out of 80 patients, 53 chose the passive/semi-passive roles. Patients presenting at the private clinics prefer being actively involved in their treatments, having said that, majority of them choose to get treatment from private clinics because they expect better services and have more trust in their doctors