Adult orthodontic consultations in private dental practice: How much information do patients remember when they leave the surgery?

OBJECTIVE

With good communication and information retention being key aspects of valid consent, this study aimed to assess adult patient information recall immediately after an orthodontic consultation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adults interested in bracket-based or clear aligners were invited to take part at a single private dental practice. A 45-minute consultation with one of three general dental practitioners (GDPs) primarily providing orthodontics took place. A participant self-completed questionnaire tested recall of 20 items from the consultation. Demographics such as gender, age, level of English, education level, previous orthodontic experience and having a close family member or friend who had orthodontic treatment were also recorded.

RESULTS

Forty-two participants completed the questionnaire, and the information recall rate was 75% (mean score = 15). Three of the 42 participants recalled all 20 items. No statistically significant differences ( < 0.05) were found between information recall and any demographic variable, however, older participants (36 years and over) scored less (mean = 13.83) than participants 18-25 years (mean = 15.6).

CONCLUSIONS

A quarter of information provided during an orthodontic consultation with a GDP in a private dental practice cannot be recalled immediately afterwards by patients and so it is recommended that any verbal or visual information is always supplemented with written information.