Patient Experience and Expectations in Oral Health Care: A Nation-Wide Survey

Abstract

Aim: This research was conducted to understand patients' dental visit habits and behaviours and to identify factors contributing to a positive patient experience at the dental office.

Methods: An online survey was distributed to members of a market research panel in the United States. Qualifying panellists were 25 years of age or older who visited a dentist in the past year. Survey questions were related to frequency of dental visits, patient satisfaction with the dental office, importance of dental office attributes and dental product recommendation expectations.

Results: There were 400 respondents, all from USA, with a mean age of 51 years; 54% were female and 46% were male. Overall, 74% had a college or post-graduate degree. The average number of dental visits per patient per year was 2.1. Fifty percent had been going to the same practice for more than 2 years. 84% of panellists indicated satisfaction with their dental office, which was driven by attributes related to good customer service and quality dental care/services. Factors rated as contributing to patient trust included: offering good services; polite and friendly behaviour; affordable cost; and clear and honest communication. Attributes rated as being most important for a dental practice included: valuing their time; not seeing them as just a patient; gentle dental team; and improving their oral health. Overall, 55% of respondents indicated they expect recommendations for specific brands to treat specific oral care issues.

Conclusion: Patients are seeking a more personal connection with their dental office and are interested in receiving information about their oral care habits. Including personalised self-care recommendations as part of every dental treatment plan will address these needs and motivate patients to engage in their oral health care. Education, communication and building personal connections are keys to establish a positive patient experience.

Keywords: Dental care; Oral hygiene; Patient motivation; Patient-centred care; Plaque; Prevention.

Fig. 1

Top 5 patient's suggestions to gain trust (Appendix, Question 5).

Fig. 2

Patient importance rating of dental office attributes. The percentage next to purple bars indicates participants who chose 'extremely important' or 'very important' for the attribute. Headings with dark blue bars are descriptors for the attributes in each category. The headings were not shown to participants. The percentage of participants who chose 'extremely important' for at least one attribute in the category is indicated by the dark blue bars (Appendix, Question 6).

Fig. 3

(A) Patient expectations for dental recommendations. (B) Desired purchasing options of recommended power toothbrushes (Appendix, Questions 8, 9 and 9a).

Fig. 4

Ranked importance of dental office samples, including toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, mouthwash and whitening strips (Appendix, Question 10).

Fig. 5

Preference and value perception of samples (Appendix, Questions 11 and 12).

Fig. 6

Key drivers of dental patient motivation.