www.sbdmj.com - Stomatologija - Baltic Dental and Maxillofacial Journal

Summary

A pilot study was conducted with the aim to test and develop a questionnaire which covers dental patients attendance, satisfaction with dental care, oral health self-evaluation, attitudes and knowledge about oral health, before applying it to a broad population. A total of 53 adult subjects (mean age 40.1) visiting Kaunas University of Medicine dental clinics, filled in the questionnaire presented by the researchers. Statement choices to define dental care satisfaction were selected from previously used instruments for similar studies in other countries. Results: major difficulties in answering questions were related to using the Likert scale response alternatives. All statements concerning dental care satisfaction with the mean Likert score value below 2.0 were decided to be indicative for the importance of characteristics. According to factor analysis and distribution of the mean scores of dental care satisfaction characteristics it was decided to include no more than 8 questions in each dimension to the final version of questionnaire. In case of equal loadings of several statements in the factor analysis, the statement with lower mean score was used. Conclusions: the use of professional terminology in questionnaire survey should be tested before applying to a broad population. The final instrument for measuring dental care satisfaction should be formed on the basis of statistical evaluation of relative importance and comparative load of different questions/statements to be included in the questionnaire.

Key words: questionnaire design, dental care satisfaction, oral health behaviour.

Received: 28 05 2005

Accepted for publishing: 20 08 2005

^*Clinic of Dental and Oral Diseases, Faculty of Odontology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Žana Sakalauskienė^* - D.D.S.

Vita Mačiulskienė^* - D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof.

Alina Šertvytytė^* - D.D.S.

Address correspondence to Žana Sakalauskienė, Clinic of Dental and Oral Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eiveniu 2, Kaunas 50009-LT.

E-mail: zsakalauskiene@pasaka.lt



	Baltic Dental and Maxillofacial Journal

September, 2005, Vol. 7, No. 3 CONTENTS SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES Jaw tracking devices - historical review of methods development. Part I 67 - 71 Jaw tracking devices - historical review of methods development. Part II 72 - 76 The masticatory system - an overview 77 - 80 Oral parafunctions and positive clinical examination findings 81 - 83 Testing of the questionnaire on dental care satisfaction in a sample of adult patients visiting dental clinics at Faculty of Odontology, Kaunas University of Medicine. A Pilot study 84 - 89 Secretory function of neutrophilic leukocytes of the patients with periodontal diseases 90 - 94 5 year experience with lower lip cancer 95 - 98 © 2005 Stomatologija		Stomatologija 2005; 7 (3): 84-9 209 KB Testing of the questionnaire on dental care satisfaction in a sample of adult patients visiting dental clinics at Faculty of Odontology, Kaunas University of Medicine. A Pilot study Žana Sakalauskienė, Vita Mačiulskienė, Alina Šertvytytė Summary A pilot study was conducted with the aim to test and develop a questionnaire which covers dental patients attendance, satisfaction with dental care, oral health self-evaluation, attitudes and knowledge about oral health, before applying it to a broad population. A total of 53 adult subjects (mean age 40.1) visiting Kaunas University of Medicine dental clinics, filled in the questionnaire presented by the researchers. Statement choices to define dental care satisfaction were selected from previously used instruments for similar studies in other countries. Results: major difficulties in answering questions were related to using the Likert scale response alternatives. All statements concerning dental care satisfaction with the mean Likert score value below 2.0 were decided to be indicative for the importance of characteristics. According to factor analysis and distribution of the mean scores of dental care satisfaction characteristics it was decided to include no more than 8 questions in each dimension to the final version of questionnaire. In case of equal loadings of several statements in the factor analysis, the statement with lower mean score was used. Conclusions: the use of professional terminology in questionnaire survey should be tested before applying to a broad population. The final instrument for measuring dental care satisfaction should be formed on the basis of statistical evaluation of relative importance and comparative load of different questions/statements to be included in the questionnaire. Key words: questionnaire design, dental care satisfaction, oral health behaviour. Received: 28 05 2005 Accepted for publishing: 20 08 2005 ^Clinic of Dental and Oral Diseases, Faculty of Odontology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania Žana Sakalauskienė^ - D.D.S. Vita Mačiulskienė^* - D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof. Alina Šertvytytė^* - D.D.S. Address correspondence to Žana Sakalauskienė, Clinic of Dental and Oral Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eiveniu 2, Kaunas 50009-LT. E-mail: zsakalauskiene@pasaka.lt