Patients’ Expectations of a Good Dentist: The Views of Communication

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify what factors contributed to making a ‘good' dentist in terms of interpersonal and communational aspects through exploring patients' expectations from dental service. Methods: The material of study was one hundred fifty seven individual interview records between a dental student and a patient. For this interview, third-year dental students who enrolled a communication skills course at the K University School of Dentistry in Seoul, participated as interviewers during two consecutive years; 67 from 2008 and 72 from 2009. A content analysis as qualitative methods, was conducted; codes, concepts and categories for communication behaviors were extracted. Results: 335 and 377 codes were extracted as 'desirable' and 'undesirable' communication behaviors, respectively. 335 'desirable' behavior codes were converged into 33 concepts and finally categorized into 11. 377 'undesirable' behavior codes were converged into 32 concepts and eleven categories. As results of multiple response analysis, 'explaining' was identified the most important factor for patient-dentist relationship. Patients regarded 'detailed explanation', 'explaining the overall plan and the process for treatment and management', and 'explaining using materials/dental models or examples' as good communication behaviors. In contrast, insufficient or inadequate explanation or difficult explanation to understand, were regarded as bad experience by patients. In addition, 'attitudes towards patients', 'emotional support by dentists', 'expense for service' and 'direct counseling with dentists not by coordinators nor other health care providers' were explored as the factors contributed to good patient-dentist relations. Conclusions: The authors could explore 'desirable' and 'undesirable' communication behaviors which patients expect to be provided from their dentists. More meticulous and large scale study is needed to identify interpersonal and communication behaviors which can contribute to making a 'good' patient-dentist relationship.