Quality development in a dental practice environment. A web-based system for measuring patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to help orthodontic professionals to measure patient satisfaction objectively within their own clinical setting. We also aimed to share these benchmark data with an international audience. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The philosophy of the EURO-QUAL project was adopted, with 18 orthodontists participating in this benchmarking project. We used the STOPS-questionnaire tested on validity between 1998 and 2002. It consisted of 23 statements measuring five dimensions of care and two open questions. Age and gender were collected as demographic data, and the respondents were anonymized. Either the internet or a paper version of the questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULTS: 1,538 patients responded during a 3-month period. When asked about the various dimensions of care, patients expressed satisfaction with the professional competence of their orthodontists and the treatment they received. Patients were least satisfied with the discomfort associated with the treatment and with the appointment procedures. The STOPS-questionnaire was further validated, revealing a Cronbach's Alpha score of 0.75. Average values for a benchmark were presented. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in society are always reflected in health care, therefore knowledge management is important. This study demonstrates a method for gaining explicit knowledge about patient satisfaction, which facilitates practice management and can be done quickly.