Patient Satisfaction with Care Provided by Dental Therapists in Minnesota

Abstract

Objectives: Patient satisfaction is a commonly used indicator for measuring quality of care within medical and dental facilities. The purpose of this study was to quantify the level of patient satisfaction with care received from dental therapists (DT) in Minnesota. Methods: Three Minnesota dental clinics employing dental therapists, a private dental practice in Southern rural Minnesota, a Twin Cities urban group practice, and a federally-qualified health center (FQHC) located in St. Paul were recruited to participate in the study. A convenience sample of 116 patients, 18 years or older, who received dental treatment from a DT consented to complete a thirty-two-question paper survey immediately following care. Results: The level of patient satisfaction was found to be high in the areas of interpersonal skills, convenience, trust, and care quality. The majority of survey participants agreed they are likely to recommend the dental therapist to others. Conclusions: The results of this study found patients in Minnesota were very satisfied with the care received by a dental therapist.