A longitudinal study of the attitudes of the dental profession towards competition and advertising.
In 1985, members of the dental profession and of four other professional groups in New Zealand were surveyed to establish their attitudes towards the developing commercialisation of their professions, particularly towards advertising. This survey was repeated in 1988, and repeated again in 1994. The results of the three surveys are presented in this paper. Over the survey period there has been a steady, if undramatic, movement of attitudes to a position that is more favourable towards the concept of an openly competitive profession. The use of informative advertising by dental practices had gained widespread acceptance by 1994, but there was still considerable opposition to persuasive advertising. However, there are still areas of professional practice, notably matters concerned with fees, where there is widespread opposition to competition and advertising.
Fay
M
M
Department of Marketing, University of Otago, Dunedin.
Bell
J
J
D000329:Advertising; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D004465:Economic Competition; D005250:Fees, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009520:New Zealand; D011215:Practice Management, Dental / Q000191:economics*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires