Patient Satisfaction with Orthodontic Treatment

Objectives: To evaluate patients’ satisfaction at Baghdad University Teaching Dental Hospital and identify areas of dissatisfaction that could be improved. Materials and MethodsA questionnaire was developed based on previous audits and consists of 10 objective questions covering a wide range of topics related to the patient-orthodontist relationship, assessing access and continuity of care. This 10-item questionnaire was used to gather information about patient satisfaction regarding the patient-orthodontist relationship, access, waiting time, facilities, and continuity of care. Results: One hundred patients completed the data collection sheet; 68% were female, and 32% were male. Most patients were undergoing fixed orthodontic appliance treatment (n=75, 75%), while the remainder were using removable appliances (n=25, 25%). The audit revealed that patients’ satisfaction could be improved in two areas: ‘My orthodontist explains what he/she is going to do’ (77%) and ‘The toilets are accessible and clean’ (61%). Conclusion: An effective first-visit consultation alone is insufficient to ensure high patient satisfaction. Follow-up consultation visits are recommended to enhance retention of the information provided.