Evaluating a Special Needs Clinic: Preliminary Assessment of Parent Satisfaction

Objectives: This study seeks to understand patient satisfaction associated with the use of an Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Dental Clinic from the parent’s or care taker’s perspective.

Methods:
Data were drawn from a 5-year service grant focusing on the training of dental residents in the treatment of children with ASDs. Parent satisfaction questionnaires were developed as an evaluation instrument for the Clinic to capture demographic information and aspects of clinical satisfaction, including the interpersonal manner and technical quality of the dentist and resident, and information specific to the Clinic (i.e., office accessibility/convenience, and appointment availability). Descriptive statistics were calculated to describe the sample (N=18) in terms of demographics, and mean scale scores related to satisfaction with the pediatric dentist, resident, and clinic were calculated; higher scores indicate higher levels of satisfaction.

Results:
Mean age of children seen in the clinic was 5.8 (SD 2.7), with 95% reporting an ASD diagnosis. In terms of race, 72% of participants were white. The majority of the children were visiting the dental clinic for a cleaning (72%), and the mean number of visits to the dental clinic was 4.2 (SD 2.7). Only 33% had ever visited a dentist prior to our Clinic. The majority of parents (89%) reported a better than expected experience at our Clinic. In terms of satisfaction with the pediatric dentist, mean satisfaction score was 43.1 (out of a possible 44); for residents, mean satisfaction was 15.2 (out of a possible 16), and for the Clinic, mean satisfaction was 28.3 (out of a possible 36).

Conclusions:
Findings indicate high levels of satisfaction with the pediatric dentist and residents working with the children, pointing to the effectiveness of the residential training program. These preliminary results also suggest that practices related to the day-to-day Clinic operations require modification.