Satisfaction of parents with orthodontic treatment of children and adolescents: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Background: Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of healthcare quality and a determinant of treatment success. Aims: To assess parents’/carers’ satisfaction with their children’s/adolescents’ orthodontic treatment and to investigate associations among study variables using a validated instrument. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with parents/carers of 68 children/adolescents aged 6–17 years. Satisfaction was assessed using the Questionnaire of Satisfaction with Orthodontic Treatment, comprising 25 items distributed across three subscales: treatment process, psychosocial effect of treatment and treatment outcome. Sociodemographic and clinical data were also collected. Descriptive analyses and Poisson regression models were performed, with results expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Of the 68 parents/carers, 48 (70.6%) were male. Among the children/adolescents, 34 (50%) were male (mean age 12.84 years). Parents/carers from households with four or more individuals had significantly lower satisfaction scores on the treatment process subscale than those from households with three or fewer individuals (OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.83–0.98; P = 0.016). Parents/carers of children/adolescents who had undergone corrective treatment had significantly higher scores on the psychosocial effect subscale (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.01–1.21; P = 0.023), treatment outcome subscale (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.01–1.14; P = 0.016) and total score (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.01–1.13; P = 0.032) than those whose children/adolescents had received interceptive/corrective treatment. Parents/carers of children/adolescents with more severe malocclusion reported significantly higher satisfaction scores than those with less severe malocclusion (OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01–1.03; P = 0.010). Conclusions: Family size, type of orthodontic treatment and malocclusion severity were associated with parents’/carers’ satisfaction with their children’s/adolescents’ orthodontic treatment. Plain language summary How satisfied parents and carers were with their children’s orthodontic treatment Why was the study done? Orthodontic treatment works better when patients and families are satisfied with the care they receive. Parents and carers play an important role when children and teenagers have orthodontic treatment. What did the researchers do? The researchers interviewed parents/carers of children/adolescents aged 6–17 years who had finished orthodontic treatment. They used questionnaires to ask about social and financial factors and about views on orthodontic care. The main questionnaire was the Questionnaire of Satisfaction with Orthodontic Treatment. What did the researchers find? The study included 68 parents/carers. Most respondents were male. Parents/carers from larger families, with four or more members, were less satisfied with the treatment. Satisfaction was higher when treatment had fewer phases and when the orthodontic problem was more severe before treatment started. What do the findings mean? Parents’/carers’ satisfaction was linked to family size, the number of treatment phases, and how severe the orthodontic problem was before treatment. Orthodontists should consider these factors when planning treatment and talking with families.