Patient perceptions of the professionalism of dental co-assistants and dental residents at a university dental hospital: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Professionalism in dentistry, encompassing clinical competence, communication, and ethical practice, critically influences patient satisfaction and quality of care. Despite its importance, patient perceptions of dental students’ professionalism remain understudied in Indonesian teaching hospitals. This research aims to assess patient perceptions of the professionalism of dental co-assistants and dental residents at a university dental hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study administered questionnaires via Google Forms to 226 patients, including patients treated by co-assistants and residents. The questionnaire consisted of four indicators of professionalism in dentistry, namely excellence, humanism, accountability, and altruism; each indicator comprised five questions assessed using a Likert scale. The results were analyzed using univariate analysis. Results: A total of 226 patients participated in this study, including patients treated by co-assistants (n=111) and residents (n=115). Most participants were adults and predominantly female, with the majority having an undergraduate education. Patients received various dental treatments across multiple polyclinics, and most had visited the dental clinic three times or more. Patient perceptions of the professionalism of co-assistants were categorized as good (100%). Meanwhile, patient perceptions of the professionalism of residents showed an average of 1.7% in the deficient category, 1.55% in the sufficient category, and 96.75% in the good category. Conclusion: Patient perceptions of the professionalism of dental co-assistants and dental residents at the university dental hospital showed generally good scores. However, some aspects of the professionalism indicators require attention for further improvement.