Thieme E-Journals – The Healthcare System

publication history

Publication Date:19 February 2004 (online)

Summary of the

The aim of this study was to collect information on attitudes towards dentists and other factors determining access to dental care from German and Turkish parents. In addition, 829 parents received a questionnaire in connection with their child’s medical school enrolment. 811 (97.8%) questionnaires were collected and 778 (93.8%) could be evaluated. Compared to the German parents, relatively more Turkish parents had a negative attitude towards the dentist. In particular, communication with the dentist was rated more negatively by the Turkish parents. Thus significantly more Turkish than German parents agreed with the statement that their dentist often burdened them with feelings of guilt due to inadequate oral hygiene (31.2 instead of 5.6 %). 7.7 % of German parents, but 23.9 % of Turkish parents, found that they were not sufficiently informed by the dentist. The purely linguistic communication difficulties also played a subordinate role among the Turkish interviewees. 12.6 % of the German and 19.3 % of the Turkish interviewees found that they could not believe everything their dentist told them. Only 54.0% of German and 28.9% of Turkish parents knew that fissure sealing, for example, was covered by statutory health insurance. Dentists should be better trained in dealing with patients with a different social and cultural background. In addition, dentists should be taught a social rather than an individual approach to dental health problems. In order to increase cost transparency, dentists should display a price list of services that are not covered by statutory health insurance. Independent patient counselling should also be provided.

abstract

The aim of this study was to collect information on the attitude to dentists and access to dental care by German and Turkish parents. To meet this aim, 829 parents attending a school medical inspection received a questionnaire. 811 (97.8 %) questionnaires were returned and 778 (93.8 %) could be used for analysis. Compared to German parents Turkish parents had a more negative attitude to the dentist. In particular, communication with the dentist was assessed more negatively by Turkish parents. Clearly more Turkish than German parents agreed that their dentist frequently made them feel guilty because of poor oral hygiene (31.2 vs. 5.6 %). 7.7 % of German but 23.9 % of Turkish parents thought that their dentist did not give them enough information. Among the Turkish interviewees, language problems rather played a minor role in communication problems. 12.6 % of German and 19.3 % of Turkish interviewees thought they could not believe everything what the dentist said. Only 54.0 % of the German and 28.9 % of the Turkish parents knew that fissure sealants were paid by the statutory sickness fund. Dentists should be better trained in dealing with patients with a different social or cultural background. Also, dentists should be taught to consider health problems rather from a social than from an individual aspect. To improve cost transparency, dentists should publish the list of services not covered by the statutory sickness fund. Moreover, an independent patient consultation service should be offered.

key words

Access – dental care – caries risk groups – migrants – recruitment

Key words

Access – oral health care – caries risk groups – migrants – attitudes

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Marc Van Steenkiste

M. Sc. DPH/Univ. London, Health Department of the District Office Rems-Murr District

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