Dental Patient Survey Reveals High Levels Of Satisfaction
A new survey has revealed high levels of satisfaction among dental patients in the UK.
More than 1,600 people took part in the survey, which was carried out by Ipsos Mori for the General Dental Council. Ninety six per cent of patients who had seen an NHS dentist in the last 12 months said that they were happy with the treatment they received, while 78 per cent of patients said that they were satisfied that their dentist provided them with sufficient information about their treatment.
Satisfaction levels relating to the regulation of dentists were also high, with 77 per cent of people stating that they were happy that the GDC did an effective job in regulating dental professionals. However, there were areas of concern highlighted by the study.
Only 41 per cent of patients said that they had seen a price list displayed, while only 34 per cent said that they noticed information about the regulation of dentists by the General Dental Council.
Many patients were also uncertain about the efficacy of the complaints procedure, as almost 40 per cent admitted that they were unsure whether an appropriate course of action would be taken in the event of a dentist overcharging or a patient receiving poor standards of care, for example.
In response to the survey results, Tim Whitaker, director of policy and communications, said that the findings will be used to address areas of concern and influence policies in the future to help to protect the public and ensure they receive the best possible standards of care. Mr Whitaker also assured the general public that the GDC takes patient concerns about regulation and discipline very seriously and has protocol in place to handle any cases where dental professionals are letting their patients down.
Join this Discussion