Satisfaction with dental care and life-course predictors: A 20-year prospective study of a Swedish 1942 birth cohort?

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to assess the impact of care experience, health factors and socioeconomic factors on satisfaction with dental care across time and to assess the stability or change in levels of self-reported satisfaction with dental care in individuals as they progress from middle age to early old age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present work is based on five separate data collections from a cohort study with 3585 individuals responding in all years of the survey. Data collection was conducted in 1992 when the subjects were 50 years of age and again 5, 10, 15 and 20 years later. Absolute stability in satisfaction with dental care was assessed by calculating the proportion of individuals who maintained their position in the same category from one survey period to another. Changes across time were tested using Cochran's Q test. Satisfaction with dental care across the 20-year survey period was modeled using the generalized estimating equation (GEE).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The result showed that 85% of women and 83% of men remained satisfied with dental care. Binomial GEE revealed no statistical significant change in satisfaction with dental care between 1992-2012. In sum, this study has shown that this age group, born in 1942, was stably satisfied with dental care between age 50 and age 70, despite all changes during this time period. Females are more satisfied than men and the most important factors are the experience of attention during the last visit, satisfaction with dental appearance and good chewing capability.