Abstract
Introduction: One of the most stressful events during the working period of dentists is patient complaints. No dentist is error-free and protesting the treatment result is one of the patient's rights. This study aimed to determine the frequency of complaints related to the dental profession and its associated factors.
Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all complaint files related to the dentistry profession had archived in the North Khorasan Forensic Medicine Organization from 2015 to June 2024 were reviewed and evaluated. The required information includes the year the case was filed, the age and gender of dentist and complainants, the dentist's degree, the dentist's work experience, the place of service, the type of service provided, the reason for the complaint and the verdict issued extracted from the files and recorded in a checklist designed by the researcher.
Results: A total of 74 registered complaints were evaluated, in 40 cases (54.1%), the dentist was convicted. The most cases of complaints are related to general dentists (60 cases, equivalent to 81.1%), male dentists (50 cases, equivalent to 67.6%), female complainants (46 cases, equivalent to 62.2%) and in private dental office services (49 cases, equivalent to was 66.2%). Also, the most services provided were oral and dental surgeries (33 cases, equivalent to 44.6%) and the most common cause of complaints was unsuccessful or incomplete treatment (48 cases, equivalent to 64.9%).
Conclusion: Dentists should increase their skills, especially in services such as surgery and endodontic treatment, and refer patients who need specialized services to the relevant specialist. Also, proper training and necessary changes in the curriculum of the general dental course will reduce the number of complaints and consequently improve the satisfaction of patients and decrease the anxiety and stress of dentists.
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