Patients' and parents' expectations of orthodontic treatment in university settings

Abstract

Introduction: The primary aim was to compare patients' and parents' orthodontic treatment expectations at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (UR) in the United States. Secondary aims were to assess the association between sociodemographic factors and UR participants' expectations; and compare participants' expectations between UR, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) and King's College Dental Hospital, London, United Kingdom (KC) (previously published data).

Methods: One hundred and forty participants [70 patients and one of their parents (n = 70)] completed a validated questionnaire (10 questions) to measure orthodontic treatment expectations before screening at the Orthodontic Department at UR. Various sociodemographic factors were assessed. The paired t test (for continuous responses) and the Fisher exact test (for categorical responses) were used to compare UR patients' and parents' responses. Two-sample t test and the Fisher exact test were used to compare participants' responses among sociodemographic groups. One-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey test, and the Fisher exact test were used to compare participants' responses between UR, and ACTA and KC (data collected from previous publications). A multiplicity correction was performed to control the false discovery rate.

Results: Patients at UR expected less check-up and diagnosis, and less discussion about treatment at the initial visit, more dietary restrictions, and less improvement in smile esthetics and social confidence with orthodontic treatment than parents. Participants' responses differed by sociodemographic factors at UR and between UR, ACTA, and KC.

Conclusions: Expectations of orthodontic treatment differ between patients and their parents, are associated with sociodemographic factors, and vary among United States and European University centers.