An Overview of Patient Preference When Choosing a Dentist and Orthodontist

Authors

Chi Yuo Tee, Division of Orthodontics, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Johnson Hsin-Chung Cheng, School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, TaiwanFollow
Daniel De-Shing Chen, School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Chi-Yang Tsai, Division of Orthodontics, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Od Bayarsaikhan, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Mongolia

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide a better understanding to dentists and orthodontists about patient’s preferences when they are choosing their dentist.

Method: The articles from this study were identified in PubMed, ResearchGate, and ScienceDirect databases. Based on the obtained articles, we classify patient preferences into clinical settings, dentist and orthodontic factors, administration system, and the impact of using social media networks for dental treatment marketing. The inclusion criteria for this literature review includes the articles that related to the topic, published from 2008 till 2023, written in English from PubMed, ResearchGate, and ScienceDirect. The exclusion criteria are articles published before 2008, research where there are biases in the material and method, and articles without full text available. There is a total of 109 articles in the initial review, but 22 papers were included in this literature review after reviewing.

Result: There are 6 articles discussing the effect of clinical setting on patient preference, 18 articles on dentists’ factors, 11 articles on the administration system, and 5 articles on the impact of using social media networks. Among the 22 selected articles, 10 (45%) articles have specifically focused on patient preference when selecting an orthodontist. The results indicated that favourable factors for patients to choose their dentist and orthodontist include caring attitudes, recommendations, and referrals from others. The cost of the treatment will have a large impact on patients’ decision. Moreover, social media marketing will affect patients’ decisions before they seeking their dentist and orthodontist.

Conclusion: A dentist's and orthodontist’s caring attitude, recommendations from others, and cost of the treatment have the highest impact on patient consideration. Moreover, every dentist and orthodontist needs to acknowledge the impact of online marketing strategies.

Recommended Citation

Tee, Chi Yuo; Cheng, Johnson Hsin-Chung; Chen, Daniel De-Shing; Tsai, Chi-Yang; and Bayarsaikhan, Od (2024) "An Overview of Patient Preference When Choosing a Dentist and Orthodontist," Taiwanese Journal of Orthodontics: Vol. 36: Iss. 1, Article 4.
https://doi.org/10.38209/2708-2636.1350
Available at: https://www.tjo.org.tw/tjo/vol36/iss1/4

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