Willingness to pay for orthodontic treatment in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Province

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this interview-based questionnaire study is to evaluate the patients' and parents' perspectives on orthodontic treatment and parent's willingness to pay (WTP) for orthodontic treatment of their child in Riyadh City. Research Hypothesis: The higher the socioeconomic status and the severity of the child's malocclusion, the more willing the parents are to pay. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 171 patients and their parents who were personally surveyed from several dental centers. Two different questionnaires were used: one was for the patients who rated their satisfaction with their occlusion and the other was for the parents who were asked to approximate the amount of Saudi Riyal (SR) they would be willing to invest for the treatment of their children's malocclusion. The WTP was calculated using the competitive bidding process, with a median price of 10,000 SR. Results: A total of 171 families and their children with malocclusion were interviewed, of which 71.6% of the parents disagreed to a statement that 10,000 SR/- is a fair amount for the orthodontic treatment. Approximately 47% have responded that their child needed orthodontic treatment. However, a high proportion of parents, i.e., 71.4% were willing to pay more amounts for advanced kind of treatment for their children. Conclusion: The median price used in this study was unacceptable to many parents; however, those parents who found it acceptable were willing to pay more for advanced treatment procedures. Orthodontists in Saudi Arabia should educate the public to what it entitles to achieve a healthy, functional, and esthetically pleasing occlusion.