Improving dental service via communication during treatment

Communication between dental service providers and their patients is a key element of service quality. However, it is clear, and surveys confirm, that verbal communication during treatment is difficult for patients. In this paper, we discuss the development and service quality evaluation of a handheld device enabling limited communication during dental treatment. The shape and function of the device were determined using insights from the literature, surveys and Axiomatic Design theory. The device, which contains several buttons and speakers/headphones, emits sounds communicating pain, a need for suction and other essential issues. In this way, a patient with dental instruments in their mouth can clearly and quickly express simple needs. To deduce the service quality improvement associated with using the device, SERVQUAL surveys were conducted on a population of 175 dental patients. Based on statistical significance scores from Wilcoxan tests, we determined that the perception of both communication and service provider response time improved when using the device. The overall service quality did not demonstrate a statistically significant change; we attribute this to the fact that there were statistically significant decreases in service timeliness and privacy on account of the longer survey and presence of data collection observer associated with using the device. As such, we conclude that the device may be a useful tool to improve dental service quality.