Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Pasir Mas, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Asia Pac J Public Health. 2011 Sep;23(5):742-53. doi: 10.1177/1010539509357341. Epub 2010 May 10.
This study investigates patients' expectations and perceptions of service quality in public dental health care and measures their "satisfaction gap." This descriptive study involved 481 dental outpatients in Kelantan, Malaysia. A modified SERVQUAL 20-item instrument was used to assess patients' expectations before and perceptions after receiving dental treatment. The "satisfaction gap" was then measured.
showed that patients visiting for management of dental pain were more satisfied (P = .007) than those visiting with appointment. The most significant service quality dimensions were related to responsiveness, assurance, and empathy of the dental health care providers. There was a significant difference between the patients' expectations and their perceptions of service provided (P < .01) with regard to all dimensions. In conclusion, dental service providers should give emphasis to the compassionate and emotional aspects of care and to remember that they are integral components of quality service.
本研究旨在调查公众对公共牙科保健服务质量的期望和看法，并衡量他们的“满意度差距”。这项描述性研究涉及马来西亚吉兰丹州的 481 名牙科门诊患者。使用改良后的 SERVQUAL 20 项量表评估患者在接受牙科治疗前后的期望和看法。然后测量“满意度差距”。结果表明，因牙痛就诊的患者比预约就诊的患者更满意（P =.007）。最显著的服务质量维度与牙科保健提供者的响应性、保证性和同理心相关。患者对服务的期望与他们的感知存在显著差异（P <.01），所有维度均如此。总之，牙科服务提供者应重视关怀和情感方面，并记住这些是优质服务的组成部分。
