Assessing Hong Kong Dental Patients’ Satisfaction in A Teaching Hospital

Objectives: A qualitative approach was undertaken to explore and better understand how patients evaluate satisfaction on the dental care provided in a teaching hospital in Hong Kong. Methods: A total of 30 patients who are currently receiving dental treatments in different clinics in Prince Philip Dental Hospital (PPDH) were selected and invited to attend a focus group discussion. Four focus groups were conducted with six to nine people in each group. The focus groups were conducted in Cantonese, in a quiet room in PPDH and lasted about one hour each. One facilitator facilitated all the focus group discussions and encouraged the participants to express their opinions and views freely. The discussions were video and audio taped and later transcribed. Result: Altogether 15 male and 15 female patients participated in the four focus groups. The treatments that they are currently receiving included: extraction, periodontal, orthodontic, endodontic, prosthodontic, implant and oral maxillofacial surgery. When they were asked the aspects that were considered in evaluating dental satisfaction, the first thing being mentioned was the appreciation of the attitude and care given by the dentists and students. Other aspects mentioned included: low price compared with private clinics, good clinical skills, advanced equipment and detailed oral health instructions they received which helped them realizing the importance of oral hygiene. However, they showed concerns about the long treatment time, the changing of dentists or students during the course of orthodontic treatments and having enough supporting staff. Different views on the attitude of the supporting staff, appointment booking, pain control, infection control, hospital environment, location and opening hours were expressed. The participants made comparisons between PPDH and private clinics when they evaluated their satisfaction. Conclusion: Generally speaking the patients were satisfied with the dental care provided in PPDH, various aspects have been considered when evaluating dental satisfaction.