Evaluation of patients by private general practitioners: associations with patient, visit, and service characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
To examine evaluations of patients by dentists, and analyse these by patient, visit and service characteristics.


METHODS
Mailed questionnaires collected from a random sample of Australian dentists in 1997-98 (response rate = 60.3%; n = 345 private general practitioners provided service data).


METHODS
Three factor-based sub-scales ('payment', 'no problems', and 'knowledge') and an overall scale ('evaluation') were derived from a 5-item battery. Scale and sub-scale scores ranged between I and 5. Lower scores indicated better evaluation ratings.


RESULTS
Nearly 60% of patients had better ratings (scores < or = 2) on the 'payment' and 'no problems' sub-scales, 39.9% on the 'knowledge' sub-scale, and 36.4% on the 'evaluation' scale. Better ratings on all sub-scales and the overall scale were associated with dentate patients, non-emergency visits, insurance, and no decayed teeth (chi2; P<0.05). Those with better 'evaluation' scale ratings (scores < or = 2.0), had higher [Poisson regression, P < or = 0.05; RR=Rate ratio] preventive (RR = 1.30), and crown and bridge rates (RR = 1.88), but lower extraction rates (RR = 0.52).


CONCLUSIONS
Desirable characteristics of patients were associated with more favourable evaluation scores by their dentists. Patients with better evaluation scores received a more favourable service pattern.
Brennan
D S
DS
Dental School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Adelaide University, Australia.
Spencer
A J
AJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003442:Crowns; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists; D003829:Denture, Partial; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007347:Insurance, Dental; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011331:Private Practice; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D014081:Tooth Extraction