title: Dentist-patient communication: a review of relevant models.
abstract: A review of the literature on dental treatment was conducted and models presented of the doctor/dentist-patient relationship. These models are listed and divided into two subgroups, empirical and normative models. The models are scrutinized with focus on the dentist-patient communicative relationship exclusively. Different doctor/dentist-patient relationships are described. External factors influencing these relationships are defined. An analysis of dentist-patient communication is made, and a new model of dentist-patient communication is suggested, which states that what is done and what is said during dentist-patient encounters will have an impact on outcome. Three different purposes of dentist-patient communication are presented. The process of attaining these is discussed. It is concluded that a theory of communication is lacking in the dental context, and the need to develop a reliable and valid interaction analysis system for the patient-dentist communication is confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Postgraduate Dental Education Center, Orebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sondell
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Söderfeldt
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001318:Authoritarianism; D003142:Communication; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D006801:Humans; D007257:Information Theory; D008960:Models, Psychological; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010358:Patient Participation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results