Patient satisfaction at the dental practice of the Ecole Privée Supérieure de Médecine Dentaire in Yaoundé

Abstract

Introduction: The increase in the range of healthcare services available puts the patient in the position of a customer who must be satisfied. A customer capable of making a choice.The aim of our study was to determine patient satisfaction at the practice of the
Yaounde Private School of Dentistry (YPSD).

Methodology: This was a prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted over an 08-month period among patients seen at the YPSD.

Results: Seventy-three patients were interviewed. The sex ratio (M/F) was 0.79. The mean age was 29.84 years. Information on patient expectations revealed that 60% of patients had particular expectations when coming to the practice, and 47% admitted that their expectations had been taken into account. Satisfaction was measured in terms of reception and care. We noted an overall level of satisfaction with the reception area, with a score of 4.6 (92%), represented by the state and cleanliness of the waiting room. A score of 4.84 (96.8%) for treatment, in favor of the quality of the treatment received. Patients' suggestions for improvement concerned ways of making waiting easier (87.5%) and improving the treatment room (12.5%).

Conclusion: Even if the patients received were more satisfied with the quality of treatment and that the reception of patient by the secretary or assistant and the condition and cleanliness of the waiting room are quite satisfactory, it still appears that the time spent in the waiting room by the patients was unsatisfactory and the means made available to facilitate waiting, not at all satisfactory.