Gerodontology Section, Department of Prosthodontics and Materials Science, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Clinic of General, Special Care and Geriatric Dentistry, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 15;19(14):8621. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19148621.
Soft skills include communication skills and personality traits that are important when choosing a dentist, but other factors within the dental office also seem to be important for patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate factors that are important to people in a dentist as well as characteristics of the ideal dentist and to evaluate possible age-, gender-, and residence of living specific differences. A telephone survey with participants aged 35 years or older (ag—age group: ag 1: 35−50 years, ag 2: 70−84 years, ag 3: >85 years) in three German cities was conducted. Data were analyzed with respect to gender and age. Most of the participants (n = 298, 64.2%), regardless of their own gender, age, or place of residence did not care about the gender of the dentist. In general, the price of the treatment does not play a role in choosing the ideal dentist. Women differ significantly from men in their choice of dentist (ANOVA p < 0.001 (preference of non-smoker), ANOVA p < 0.001 (preference, that the dentist does not smell of smoke, importance of appearance (ANOVA p < 0.001) and psycho-social skills, etc.). As age increases, professional experience and psycho-social competencies are rated as important. With the increase in age, the mean value of the desired years of professional experience increases without significant differences between age groups. The importance of advanced training (ANOVA p < 0.001; Bonferoni correction: significant difference between ag 1 and ag 2 p < 0.001, and ag 1 and ag 3 p < 0.001) decreases with age. Especially for participants aged 70 to 84 years, a relationship of trust is important. Between the places of residence, statistical differences for almost all surveyed items were found (e.g., importance that the dentist speaks the patients’ native language ANOVA p < 0.001, Bonferoni correction: significant difference between Berlin and Leipzig, Berlin and Mainz, and Leipzig and Mainz (each p < 0.001), dentist has a specialization ANOVA p < 0.001, Bonferoni correction: significant difference between Berlin and Leipzig and Berlin and Mainz (each p < 0.001), etc.). Dentists should be trained to develop psycho-social skills to meet the special demands of the increasing older population.
软技能包括沟通技巧和个性特征，这些在选择牙医时很重要，但牙医诊所内的其他因素似乎对患者也很重要。本研究的目的是评估人们对牙医重要的因素以及理想牙医的特征，并评估可能存在的年龄、性别和居住地点的具体差异。在德国的三个城市进行了一项针对 35 岁或以上人群（年龄组：ag1：35-50 岁，ag2：70-84 岁，ag3：>85 岁）的电话调查。数据根据性别和年龄进行了分析。大多数参与者（n=298，64.2%），无论其自身性别、年龄或居住地点如何，都不关心牙医的性别。总的来说，治疗的价格在选择理想牙医时并不起作用。女性在选择牙医方面与男性有显著差异（ANOVA p<0.001（偏好不吸烟的牙医），ANOVA p<0.001（偏好牙医不吸烟味，重视外观（ANOVA p<0.001）和心理社会技能等）。随着年龄的增长，专业经验和心理社会能力被认为是重要的。随着年龄的增长，专业经验的期望年限平均值增加，但年龄组之间没有显著差异。高级培训的重要性（ANOVA p<0.001；Bonferroni 校正：ag1 和 ag2 之间有显著差异，p<0.001，ag1 和 ag3 之间有显著差异，p<0.001）随年龄的增长而降低。特别是对于 70 至 84 岁的参与者，信任关系很重要。在不同的居住地点之间，几乎所有被调查项目都存在统计学差异（例如，牙医讲患者母语的重要性 ANOVA p<0.001，Bonferroni 校正：柏林和莱比锡、柏林和美因茨以及莱比锡和美因茨之间存在显著差异，p<0.001），牙医有专业领域的 specialization ANOVA p<0.001，Bonferroni 校正：柏林和莱比锡以及柏林和美因茨之间存在显著差异，p<0.001）等）。牙医应该接受培训，以发展心理社会技能，以满足日益增长的老年人口的特殊需求。
