Assessment Of Service Quality In Special Care Dentistry Department Using Servqual Model

Abstract

Aim and Objective newline To evaluate the quality of treatment received by the patients in newlinespecial care dentistry department using SERVQUAL model newlineMaterials and Methods newline The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of treatment newlinereceived by the patients in the special care dentistry department using newlineSERVQUAL model. The study population consisted of 384 patients newlinetreated in the Special care dentistry department from December 2017 newlineDecember 2019. newlineEach participant s demographic data and reason for referral to the newlineSpecial Care dentistry department was recorded. Participants or the newlineparticipant s caregiver was asked to fill the expectation questionnaire of newlinethe SERVQUAL model. The required dental treatment was provided to newlinethe participant. Post treatment, the participant is asked to fill up the newlineperception questionnaire of the SERVQUAL model using a 5 point Likert newlinescale. newlineResults newline Most patients belonged to the age range of 51- 60 years. The newlinecommonest reason for treatment in the Special care dentistry newlinedepartment is being medically compromised. All 5 domains of the newlineSERVQUAL model showed a high expectation, perception scores and newlinepositive gap values. newlineConclusion newline SERVQUAL model has been validated as an effective service newlineassessment tool. The special needs patients reporting for treatment, newlineexperience many barriers for routine dental care. Dentists, who are newlineespecially trained in treating patients with special needs are needed in newlineour country, where the population of disabled is on constant rise. In our newlinestudy, which is first of its kind to be employed in a dental setting for newlinepatients with special needs, in all five domains showed positive newlineexpectation / perception outcomes which denotes the effectiveness newlinetowards patient care. newline