Factors affecting patient's satisfaction with the care provided by dental students

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to evaluate the level of patient satisfaction regarding cleanliness in the clinic, student-doctor achievement, appointments, comfort of the staff, student courtesy and dental health care provided by the student dentists. Patient files were drawn from records that had been registered for comprehensive dental treatment during the year 2004- 2005. Two hundred fifty files of adult patients were included in the study in which the patient satisfaction questionnaire was filled up by the patient upon completion of the treatment. The main questionnaire used to determine the level of satisfaction was composed of two sections. An average 45.1% [39.6-52.4%] rated the clinic cleanliness, student- doctor achievement, dental care quality, comfort, staff-student courtesy and appointment as excellent, 52.7% [47.2 - 55.6%] rated it as good, 1.93% [0.4-4.4%] as fair and only 0.2% [0.0- 0.4%] of patients rated it as poor. An average 97.6% [90-99.6%] of patients were satisfied whereas 2.3% [0.4- 10%] were dissatisfied with student doctor achievements and dental health care provided. Majority of patients were satisfied with dental care provided by the student-dentists. Clinic cleanliness, patient comfort, staff-student courtesy, latest sophisticated equipment, highly qualified teaching staff, free dental treatment and convenient appointments may play an important role in patient satisfaction