Patients’ Satisfaction as a Tool of Dental Setting and Dental Services Assessment in the Dental College of Mangalore

Abstract

Provision of quality health services to population of the rural areas with limited access to dental treatment and educating dental students in high standard of professional conduct when delivering health services to the population, represents the main reason for the foundation of a dental college in an area like Mangalore. The purpose of this study was to assess the satisfaction of patients visiting the dental college clinics. A cross-sectional study was conducted between May 1 and July 31, 2017. A questionnaire, covering 4 items: patient-dentist relationship; efficiency of the general clinic; patients perception of dental care quality; college healthcare opinion, was distributed to 400 patients visiting the dental clinic. Data were treated statistically using overall percentage distributions and Fisher exact test. The mean percentage of agreement for the 4 items was 85.86 ± 24.51% denoting a high level of satisfaction. Fisher exact test showed (p < 0.01) statistically important difference between first time and multiple time visitors answers. Majority of the patients were satisfied with the clinical settings and the benefits of the fast delivered treatment. The quality of the services was appreciated by the majority of visitors. The attitude of the providers of healthcare was perceived as very friendly and gentle. The assessment of patients’ contentment and perception of healthcare services could be an efficient tool to evaluate the overall activity of an educational healthcare institution.

Keywords

• dental healthcare institute
• rural areas patients
• patients’ satisfaction
• dental services’ assessment