Examining Dentist-Patient Religious Concordance and Trust Among North Carolina Muslim Patients

This study explored the role of dentist-patient religious concordance in shaping trust, visit experience, and perceived culturally responsive care among adult Muslim dental patients in North Carolina. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 113 participants to examine dental care experiences and perceptions of provider behaviors. The primary outcome of interest was preference for a Muslim dentist, while secondary outcomes included composite scores for trust, visit experience, religious acknowledgement, and accommodation preferences. Among the participants who expressed a preference, 97.7% preferred a Muslim dentist (p < 0.001). Trust and visit experience did not differ significantly between the two groups, with negligible effect sizes. Perceived religious acknowledgement, on the other hand, was significantly higher among those with Muslim dentists (p < 0.001), with a large effect size. Trust was moderately associated with visit experience, and religious acknowledgement had modest associations with both outcomes. This suggests that while religious concordance positively influences perceived recognition of religious needs, trust and overall experience are more strongly defined by clinical competence and communication.