Patient dental values and their relationship to oral health status, dentist perceptions and quality of care

In this study, 1287 patients completed a questionnaire assessing knowledge of home care procedures, adherence to home care instructions, obstacles presented to the dentist in delivering care, and ability to pay for optimal care. Ninety-seven dentists that provided treatment for these patients completed a parallel questionnaire. Measures of oral health and the quality of restorative care were based on clinical examinations. It was found that though patient values and dental perceptions were associated, dentist perceptions did not closely match patient dental values. Analysis of variance indicated that patient dental values were related positively to both oral health measures and the quality of restorations. Patient-reported compliance with home care recommendations showed the strongest relationship to both oral health and quality of restorations.