Factors Affecting Satisfaction with the Process of Orthodontic Treatment in Young Adults: A Questionnaire Study

Abstract

Introduction: Recently, there has been an increase in adults undergoing orthodontic treatment in both the public and the private sector. Satisfaction during and after the orthodontic treatment process has not been widely discussed so far, however, and few research studies have emphasized patient satisfaction with treatment outcome and the factors affecting patient satisfaction.Aim: To investigate factors affecting patient satisfaction with the process of orthodontic treatment in young adults.Material and methods: Fifty-eight patients (33 girls and 25 boys with a mean age of 25.05 years, SD 2.83) were included in the survey. All patients were young adults who had completed their orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and were taken from two centers (a teaching hospital and a private practice). Data was collected using online survey forms and was analyzed using content thematic analysis. Five main factors were identified related to patient satisfaction with the process of orthodontic treatment: communication, faculty (orthodontist), physical surroundings, consultation/appointments, and impact of appliance treatment.Results: Effective communication was the most prominent factor among all five factors considered, especially detailed explanation given during treatment and making patients feel comfortable under their care. Median values were generally high for satisfaction with treatment results. There was a clear correlation ( p < 0.001) between patient satisfaction and treatment outcome. Age, sex and treatment time did not have any correlation with treatment satisfaction.Conclusion: In general, young adults were observed to be satisfied with the treatment process, and good communication played a dominant role in this. Though there were many differences in working models between public and private sectors, many similarities were observed when comparing the factors between the two centers.