Preferences for dental decisional control and associations with quality of life among third molar patients attending public dental services.

OBJECTIVES

To explore (1) the prevalence of dental decisional control preferences (DDCP) among third molar (TM) patients attending public dental services and associated individual's characteristics, and (2) the association between DDCP and quality of life (QoL).

METHOD

Participants were adult public dental patients with internet access referred for TM consultation. Collected data included patients' socio-demographic variables, the Control Preferences Scale (CPS), the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and the EuroQol EQ-5D-5L.

RESULTS

Participants (n=163) were mainly females (73.6%) with a mean age of 26.2 years (SD=8.3). Most participants preferred an active DDCP (n=71, 44.1%) or a collaborative DDCP (n=60, 37.3%) while a minority preferred a passive DDCP (n=30, 18.6%). Gender (P=.05) and education (P=.03) were associated with DDCP. In a multinomial logistic regression model for DDCP, females were more likely to have an active DDCP (OR=2.73, P=.04) as were participants who had tertiary education (OR=2.72, P=.04). In a linear regression model for OHIP-14, active (P=.05) and collaborative DDCP (P=.04) were associated with less impact on oral health-related QoL.

CONCLUSION

Patients attending public dental services preferred to be involved (either actively or collaboratively) in dental treatment decision-making. Being a female and/or having tertiary education were associated with an active DDCP. The positive association between patients' involvement in decision-making and oral health-related QoL might support the benefit for enhancing patients' involvement in decision-making.