Objectives: To examine the amount of heterogeneity in patients' preferences for dental care, what factors affect their preferences, and how much they would be willing to pay for improvement in specific dental care attributes.
Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was used to elicit patients' preferences. Three alternative dental care services that differed in the type of care provider, treatment explanation, dental staff behavior, waiting time and treatment cost were described to patients. Patients (n=265) were asked to choose their preferred alternative. The study was conducted at a public dental clinic of the School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb. Mixed logit and latent class models were used for analysis.
Results: On average, the patients would be willing to pay €45 for getting a detailed explanation of treatment over no explanation. This was the most valued attribute of dental care, followed by dental staff behavior with marginal willingness-to-pay (WTP) of €28. Dental care provided by the faculty members and private dental care were valued similarly, while student-provided care was valued €23 less. Patients also disliked longer waiting time in the office, but this was the least important attribute. Four classes of patients with distinct preferences for dental care were identified. Older and/or more educated patients tended to give relatively less importance to treatment explanation. Higher education was also associated with a higher propensity to substitute faculty dental care with the private care providers.
Conclusions: Large heterogeneity in patients' preferences was detected. Understanding their preferences may improve the delivery of dental care.
Clinical Significance: Dental care providers should pay particular attention to providing a detailed treatment explanation to their patients. Dental care for older and/or more educated patients should be more attentive to interpersonal characteristics. Faculty dental care provided by faculty members could be price competitive to private care, and student-provided care more affordable.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2017.12.005 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Impact of Medicaid Policies on Pre-pregnancy Preventive Dental Care.
Matern Child Health J
January 2025
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, Fee Hall West Wing; 909 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
Background: Dental care before pregnancy is critical for preventing poor oral health, which is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. People with low incomes, however, may face insurance-related barriers to obtaining dental care. Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act increased access to dental care utilization among adults with low incomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDevelopmental basis of natural tooth shape variation in cichlid fishes.
Naturwissenschaften
January 2025
Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
While most dentate non-mammalian vertebrates possess simple conical teeth, some demonstrate complex tooth shapes. Lake Malawi cichlid fishes are an extreme example of this, exhibiting a myriad of tooth shapes driven by an ecologically derived rapid evolution of closely related but distinct species. Tooth shape in mammals is generally considered to be established by signaling centers called primary and secondary enamel knots, which are not believed to be present in non-mammalian vertebrates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvidence synthesis of health policy and systems research in rehabilitation: a protocol for Cochrane overviews of systematic reviews on delivery, governance, financial arrangements, and implementation strategies.
Eur J Phys Rehabil Med
January 2025
Rehabilitation Program, Department for Noncommunicable Diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Cochrane Rehabilitation and the World Health Organization (WHO) Rehabilitation Program are collaborating to produce four Cochrane overviews of systematic reviews that synthesize the current evidence from health policy and systems research (HPSR) in rehabilitation. They will focus on the four pillars of HPSR identified by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) taxonomy: delivery arrangements, financial arrangements, governance arrangements, and implementation strategies. The protocol describes why HPSR is currently needed in rehabilitation, provides detailed information on the four EPOC pillars in interaction with rehabilitation and reports the Cochrane methods that will be followed to produce the overviews.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFErector Spinae Muscle to Epicardial Visceral Fat Ratio on Chest CT Predicts the Severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
February 2025
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Background: Chest computed tomography (CT) is a valuable tool for diagnosing and predicting the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and assessing extrapulmonary organs. Reduced muscle mass and visceral fat accumulation are important features of a body composition phenotype in which obesity and muscle loss coexist, but their relationship with COVID-19 outcomes remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between the erector spinae muscle (ESM) to epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) ratio (ESM/EAT) on chest CT and disease severity in patients with COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLyme disease associated neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Brain Behav Immun Health
February 2025
University Center for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India.
Background And Objective: Lyme disease, caused by , presents major health challenges worldwide, leading to serious neurological and musculoskeletal issues that impact patients' lives and healthcare systems. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to determine the prevalence and link between Lyme disease and these complications, aiming to enhance clinical and public health approaches.
Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science up until April 01, 2024, to find studies reporting the prevalence and severity of neurological and musculoskeletal complications associated with Lyme disease.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!