A patient experience to be proud of
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 11th October 2024
There are many factors that affect the dental patient’s experience. Though some are more important that others, all must be considered in order to curate a consistently positive, effective and efficient patient journey. The consequences of getting it right are huge for the practitioner and for the practice. Not only are happy patients more likely to develop loyalty and return time after time, they are also more likely to recommend your services to friends and family, further supporting business growth. Furthermore, there is evidence demonstrating a positive correlation between patient satisfaction and clinical effectiveness.[i]
Clinical excellence remains king
As would be expected, one of the top contributors to a fantastic patient experience is high-quality treatment. A European study[ii] from 2023 found the quality of treatment received to impact everything from whether a patient would recommend the dentist to others to their relationship with the dentist. Interestingly, the same research found that patient satisfaction with the frequency of appointments also impacted their overall contentment with treatment and loyalty to the practice.
There is also evidence to show that patient perception of pain and pain management may impact their overall experience. Efficient pain assessment and pain management options with fewer side effects have proven helpful in improving patient satisfaction with treatment.[iii] This further supports the importance of clinical excellence in dentistry, as with careful planning that includes an effective choice of analgesic,[iv] clinicians can help to reduce post operative pain.
A people thing
However, it doesn’t stop there. There are social factors at play too. For instance, patient characteristics like age and education level can affect their perceived experience in any healthcare setting.[v] Broader influences like those from wider societal trends, or community and family contexts can also affect patient expectations and, therefore, satisfaction with the dental care they receive.
In addition, the communication between patients and healthcare professionals has been shown to influence their satisfaction with the service received.[vi] Specifically in dentistry, effective professional-patient communication has long been recognised as a cornerstone of high-quality care. Ensuring that patients understand their current oral health status and the need for recommended treatment, empowers them to be more involved in the oral health, improving their overall experience. This communication can also reduce the risk of dental anxiety among patients and increase trust in their practitioner.[vii]
Physical environment and technologies
However, it doesn’t stop there. A combination of staff behaviours, facilities and basic environmental needs also influence the patient experience. Examples include practice opening hours and cleanliness.[viii] The physical environment may also impact patient outcomes and satisfaction, including the layout of the practice, room features, medical equipment visible, lighting and music.[ix]
Technology is another area that has become instrumental in delivering an excellent patient experience. Studies have touted the latest tech as having helped to enhance efficiency, safety and accessibility of dental care.[x] Specific solutions such as intraoral scanners have also become a widespread preference among patients,[xi] who appreciate the elimination of the traditional ‘gooey’ impressions.
Of course, imaging technology isn’t the only solution making waves in the dental profession. Innovative practice management software is streamlining the entire patient experience from the moment they book an appointment, through to their treatment and beyond. AeronaDental, for example, is a next generation cloud-based software that impacts every aspect of the patient journey. Add-ons like the Patient Portal facilitates online engagement, bookings, digital form-filling and online consultations, while integration with solutions like Dojo – a flexible and secure payment provider – make paying for treatment 58% faster than the average mobile card machine. Plus, the provider offers all this alongside exceptional customer support, so you know you have the experts on your side when it comes to optimising your patient experience.
Patient-centred care
Ultimately, everything about the modern dental profession is designed to support patients to better oral health. If patients have a positive experience in the practice, this is not only good for business, but it also means they are more likely to return for on-going treatment, boosting continuity of care and their long-term health. Considering every aspect of their journey through the practice is important for a truly patient-centred approach.
For more information, please visit aerona.com or call 028 7000 2040
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[i] Doyle C, Lennox L, Bell D. A systematic review of evidence on the links between patient experience and clinical safety and effectiveness
BMJ Open 2013;3:e001570. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001570
[ii] Szabó RM, Buzás N, Braunitzer G, Shedlin MG, Antal MÁ. Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction and Loyalty as Perceived by Dentists and Their Patients. Dent J (Basel). 2023 Aug 28;11(9):203. doi: 10.3390/dj11090203. PMID: 37754323; PMCID: PMC10529870.
[iii] Tawil S, Iskandar K, Salameh P. Pain management in hospitals: patients’ satisfaction and related barriers. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2018 Jul-Sep;16(3):1268. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2018.03.1268. Epub 2018 Sep 25. PMID: 30416629; PMCID: PMC6207353.
[iv] Becker DE. Pain management: Part 1: Managing acute and postoperative dental pain. Anesth Prog. 2010 Summer;57(2):67-78; quiz 79-80. doi: 10.2344/0003-3006-57.2.67. PMID: 20553137; PMCID: PMC2886920.
[v] Larson E, Sharma J, Bohren MA, Tunçalp Ö. When the patient is the expert: measuring patient experience and satisfaction with care. Bull World Health Organ. 2019 Aug 1;97(8):563-569. doi: 10.2471/BLT.18.225201. Epub 2019 May 28. PMID: 31384074; PMCID: PMC6653815.
[vi] Tian, Y. A review on factors related to patient comfort experience in hospitals. J Health Popul Nutr 42, 125 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-023-00465-4
[vii] Yuan S, Freeman R, Hill K, Newton T, Humphris G. Communication, Trust and Dental Anxiety: A Person-Centred Approach for Dental Attendance Behaviours. Dent J (Basel). 2020 Oct 13;8(4):118. doi: 10.3390/dj8040118. PMID: 33066178; PMCID: PMC7712465.
[viii] Adhikary G, Shawon MSR, Ali MW, Shamsuzzaman M, Ahmed S, Shackelford KA, Woldeab A, Alam N, Lim SS, Levine A, Gakidou E, Uddin MJ. Factors influencing patients’ satisfaction at different levels of health facilities in Bangladesh: Results from patient exit interviews. PLoS One. 2018 May 16;13(5):e0196643. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196643. PMID: 29768441; PMCID: PMC5955531.
[ix] Jamshidi, Saman & Parker, Jan & Hashemi, Seyedehnastaran. (2019). The effects of environmental factors on the patient outcomes in hospital environments: A review of literature. Frontiers of Architectural Research. 9. 10.1016/j.foar.2019.10.001.
[x] Gracco A, De Stefani A, Bruno G. Influence of New Technology in Dental Care: A Public Health Perspective. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr 3;20(7):5364. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20075364. PMID: 37047978; PMCID: PMC10093858.
[xi] Sivaramakrishnan G, Alsobaiei M, Sridharan K. Patient preference and operating time for digital versus conventional impressions: a network meta-analysis. Aust Dent J. 2020 Mar;65(1):58-69. doi: 10.1111/adj.12737. Epub 2019 Dec 19. PMID: 31749234.
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