This, the final paper in this three-part series, looks at how patients evaluate the dental care they receive and how this translates into either satisfaction, dissatisfaction or something in between. It explains how it might be possible to manage patient expectations so that patients are more likely to be satisfied with all aspects of the care provided and describes a framework for dentists and staff to use when trying to enhance patient experience in everyday dental practice.
Clinical relevance: By better understanding the concept of 'patient satisfaction' dentists can develop strategies that take into account the way patients evaluate the quality of their own dental care.