ASSESSMENT OF PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH THE QUALITY OF DENTAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY STUDENTS OF DENTAL MEDICINE

In today's competitive world, the quality of dental services provided is extremely important. Dental service providers around the world consider patient satisfaction to be an important and fundamental factor in providing dental services. Patient satisfaction by the provided dental services is defined in the literature as the achieved match between the patient's expectations, his needs and the actual dental care provided to him/her. Understanding the importance of the concept dedicated to the quality of dental services and surveying the satisfaction of patients receiving these services is very important. Oral diseases are considered major health problems due to their high incidence and prevalence worldwide Aim:. The aim of the present study was to assess patient satisfaction by dental services provided by dental students. Materials and methods: Sociological survey has been carried out. For the respondents’ convenience participating in the research, the opportunity to choose between two options for filling out the survey card is provided: a paper survey card and Online questionnaire created in Google Forms. A survey was conducted on a voluntary basis in May-July 2023. The results of the survey are presented in table and graphic form, which are accompanied by analyzes and conclusions. For the purposes of the research, 358 patients treated by fourth, fifth- and sixth year students in the facility of the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of Varna - were surveyed. Results: The results show a positive correlation between the quality of dental services provided by dental students and patient satisfaction. Conclusion: Measuring the quality of dental services has an important role in managing the dental care provided, diagnosing the problem and evaluating the effectiveness of the service. Patient satisfaction is one of the key indicators in the quality of services provided in the dental practice. The results of the conducted study dedicated to patient satisfaction with the provided dental services are an indicator for evaluating the quality of dental care provided by dental medicine students, based on a survey of patients' attitudes and opinions.