Cork University Dental School and Hospital Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire

Method: Patients (N=113) attending the dental hospital completed three questionnaires: the Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire designed to measure patients opinions and attitudes about dentistry, e.g. access to service, pain management, and quality of care; The Dental Beliefs Survey designed to measure the dentist’s behaviour, and how the care is delivered as perceived by the patient; and the Communication Assessment Tool used to assess the dentists’ interpersonal and communication skills. 

Results: In relation to general satisfaction about quality of care, patients revealed that they had confidence in the clinician’s dental skills, with the dentist demonstrating respect, care and concern for the patient. Patients believed that the dentists acted professionally, and that the patients were given time, and that their views were taken seriously.

Conclusion: Patients’ perception of the CUDSH has been rated highly, especially in the areas of patient-dentist interpersonal communication, evaluation of professional competencies, and service satisfaction ratings. In regards to improving the service, some key recommendations were that more information about dental procedures should be provided and, generally, that dentists should do more to reduce patients’ pain.