TITLE:
Patient Experiences of Medical Screening Performed by the Dental Services: A Qualitative Study
AUTHORS:
Göran Friman, Ghazaleh Golestani, Awara Kalkal, Inger Wårdh, Margareta Hultin
KEYWORDS:
Diabetes; Hypertension; Medical Screening; Patient Satisfaction; Risk Assessment
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Stomatology,
Vol.3 No.9,
December
24,
2013
ABSTRACT: Objective: To explore how
medical screening performed by the dental service was perceived from the
patient’s perspective. Material and methods: Medical screening for high blood
pressure and high plasma glucose was performed on 170 patients at a dental
clinic in a small town in central Sweden. Seventeen individual interviews were
conducted with a strategic sampling of these patients. The interviews were recorded
and transcribed. The transcriptions were coded and categorized in a manifest
analysis, followed by a latent, interpretive analysis. Results: The manifest
analysis resulted in three categories: Positive attitude to screening and
dental professionals which need to have specific knowledge of medical
screening; Dental care which provides continuity but is not a neutral
environment; and Feedback on the medical screening results and desired
cooperation between dental and health care services. The latent analysis
pointed out the importance of the patient’s feeling that the procedure is
carried out properly and safely, and requests for
clear feedback concerning the results of the screening. Conclusions: The interviewees experienced
the dental care service as providing continuity. They would like to
have regular medical screenings at their regular dental appointments to
identify risks of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. However, they expressed
that it was important for the dental care staff to have the necessary medical knowledge.
They also wanted good cooperations between the dental and health care services,
with clear feedback to the patients about both positive and negative results
and, when appropriate, referrals to the health care service.