Report on patient satisfaction in the Prince Philip Dental Hospital 2025

Abstract

Background: Patient satisfaction is an indicator that directly reflects the quality of health care provided and plays a crucial role in determining the success of a health care facility. To assess the level of patient satisfaction towards the dental care services provided by the Prince Philip Dental Hospital (PPDH), surveys were conducted in 1984, 1994, 2010, 2012, and 2015. Over the years, there have been multiple major changes in the PPDH that affect various aspects of patient care, but the lack of continuity in the aforementioned surveys renders it challenging to correlate changes in the hospital settings with shifts in patient satisfaction since 2015. Objectives: To compare patient satisfaction over the years and investigate possible areas of improvement in relation to the changes in curriculum and hospital policies through obtaining patients’ opinions. Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted by a group of BDS students from 3rd March 2025 to 14th March 2025. A structured questionnaire was modified from the questionnaire of previous reports and used to collect information from patients admitted after 2018. A random sample of 660 patients was drawn by the PPDH. Results: The number of successfully completed interviews was 400 (81.8% response rate), with an overall patient satisfaction rated “very satisfied” and “satisfied” of 92.5%. Highest satisfaction was found in “The waiting area of the Hospital is comfortable” (97.3%), followed by “Dentists/ students usually explain what they are going to do and how much it will cost before they begin your treatment” (96.6%) and “Dentists/students are very careful to check everything when examining you” (96.3%). New questions in this survey revealed that most patients found the interval between appointments, duration and number of visits appropriate and acceptable. Statistical analysis identified younger age (18–30 years), tertiary education, and higher household income (>$40,000/month) as significant predictors of elevated satisfaction (p<0.05). Despite overall positive trends, persistent concerns emerged regarding emergency service accessibility and post-treatment follow-up protocols. Conclusion: An overwhelming majority of the patients were satisfied with the services provided by the PPDH, with an increased satisfaction in opening hours, hospital location, waiting time, prevention of oral health problems, hospital fees and infection control compared to previous surveys. Younger patients, patients with higher education level, income and less waiting time expressed a higher level of satisfaction in different domains. Promotion on the online booking system, clarification of the admission criteria with an appropriate follow-up regime are some improvements that can be made in future.