title: Patient satisfaction in dental outpatient clinics in Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the level of patient satisfaction in the dental outpatient clinics from a group of state hospitals in Turkey and explore the factors that may influence satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, patients attending the outpatient clinics state hospitals from 9 provinces were interviewed. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents were collected and a patient satisfaction questionnaire, which consisted of 29 statements regarding various aspects of satisfaction, were completed during face-to-face interviews (n=641, response rate 89%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between the mean satisfaction scores of the study group with regard to socio-demographic characteristics except for the type of health insurance held by the patient. Patients covered by state pension funds had significantly higher satisfaction scores than the self-employed group with public insurance. Patients were most satisfied with privacy (82.1% of the respondents). Waiting time was the least satisfactory issue, with only 41.8% of patients reporting satisfaction with waiting time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The type of health insurance of the patients seems to be a significant predictor of dental patient satisfaction in Turkish state hospitals. Privacy was the most satisfactory service attribute whereas the waiting time had the lowest satisfactory rating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management, Faculty of Health Education, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Haydar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sur
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hayran
authors.forename: Celal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mumcu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D014421:Turkey