Satisfaction with dental care. A review of the literature.

Abstract

The satisfaction of the patient is considered important to predict patient compliance, their ability to follow instructions, adherence to treatment and as a determining factor in the future use of health services. In Chile, there are currently not many studies or analyses in the health sector about the quality of care or level of satisfaction of patients. In most cases, these have only been studied through surveys, which are often initiated by the health services themselves, without using validated instruments. This article presents a review of the most relevant aspects described in the literature about satisfaction with dental care. The satisfaction that people experience in the use of a service or consumption of a product is a phenomenon that has been widely studied in recent decades. This concept has mainly been studied in two scientific areas: social psychology and an economistic approach. Multiple studies have demonstrated the multidimensional nature of user satisfaction in dentistry. Davies and Ware developed the Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire (DSQ) to assess access, availability, cost, pain management and quality. Several studies indicate that a positive relationship between the patient and the dentist generates higher satisfaction rates and that a negative relationship between the patient and the dentist leads to lower satisfaction rates on the part of the patients. As a result, a positive relationship with the dentist leads to greater commitment and interest in the dental treatment, generating greater adherence, better outcomes and increased satisfaction.