Patient noncompliance: a neglected topic in dentistry.
Explicit data currently do not exist to answer the questions just raised for the field of dentistry. Such information is important, however. Dental education must be about the task of offering training in these topics to its students, based on the best data base the is currently available. More important, dental professionals must involve themselves in research efforts aimed at defining and developing the critical psychological and motivational techniques in question that can then be included in dental training. Finally, concerning the issue of responsibility, I suggest that behavioral scientists must assume responsibility, as well, for providing relevant expertise in research and development of necessary motivation and communication skills. The dentist who possess these skills will be better prepared to address the major dental care problems facing the profession today.
D003142:Communication; D003729:Dental Care; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance