EVALUATION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE DENTAL CLINIC OF THE FACULTY OF DENTISTRY, UNIVERSITY OF CUENCA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47820/recima21.v6i7.6674Keywords:
patient satisfaction, service quality, university dentistry, user perception, customer serviceAbstract
The quality of customer service in university dental care settings directly influences patient perception, satisfaction, and treatment effectiveness. Evaluating this quality allows for identifying opportunities for improvement in both clinical care and professional training. Methodology: A quantitative, observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 patients who received dental care at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Cuenca between March and May 2025. A structured, digitally distributed questionnaire was used, based on dimensions such as staff attention, clarity of information, physical environment, and overall satisfaction. Results: 97% of respondents positively rated the clarity of the diagnosis and treatment, while 99% highlighted the respect and empathy of the clinical staff. Cleanliness and organization were rated as good or excellent by 91%. However, 46% reported deficiencies in administrative information, and 16% considered the wait times to be long. 100% would recommend the clinic. Conclusion: The university clinic evaluated presents significant strengths in clinical care and patient care. To achieve comprehensive improvement, it is recommended to optimize administrative processes and reduce waiting times, thus contributing to a more satisfactory experience and excellent dental training.
Downloads
References
1. ARGUELLO, M. Marketing aplicado a la consulta odontológica. Guayaquil: Universidad de Guayaquil, Facultad Piloto de Odontología, 2013. Disponível em: https://repositorio.ug.edu.ec/server/api/core/bitstreams/72daa197-6eb1-4fec-9078-d047e50ad737/content
2. DONABEDIAN, A. The quality of care: How can it be assessed? JAMA, v. 260, n. 12, p. 1743–1748, 1989. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1988.03410120089033
3. FLORES, R.; VEGA, L. Satisfacción del paciente en servicios odontológicos: una revisión sistemática. Revista de Salud Pública, v. 19, n. 5, p. 678–684, 2017.
4. GRAY, L.; MCNEILL, L.; YI, W. et al. The “business” of dentistry: Consumers’ (patients’) criteria in the selection and evaluation of dental services. PLoS ONE, v. 16, n. 8, e0253517, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253517
5. GÓMEZ, C.; CASTILLO, E.; TJADERHANE, L. Continuing education and patient satisfaction in private dental clinics: A cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health, v. 19, n. 1, p. 158, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-019-0843-7
6. INGLEHART, M. R.; LEE, A. H.; KOLTUNIAK, K. G.; MORTON, T. A.; WHEATON, J. M. Do waiting times in dental offices affect patient satisfaction and evaluations of patient-provider relationships? Journal of Dental Hygiene, v. 90, n. 3, p. 203–211, 2016.
7. KESKIN, G.; ERSOY, O. Predictive modeling using machine learning to reduce patient wait times in university dental hospitals. Computers in Biology and Medicine, v. 169, 107633, 2025.
8. LARA, J.; HERMOZA, R.; SACRAMENTO, C. Satisfacción de los pacientes ante la atención odontológica recibida en un hospital en Lima. Revista Estomatológica Herediana, v. 30, n. 3, p. 145–152, 2020. https://revistas.upch.edu.pe/index.php/REH/article/view/3817/4297
9. LARA-ÁLVAREZ, R.; SOTO-VÁSQUEZ, M.; SÁNCHEZ-ROJAS, N. Nivel de satisfacción de los pacientes atendidos en un hospital nacional de Lima. Revista Estomatológica Herediana, v. 30, n. 2, p. 103–109, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20453/reh.v30i3.3817
10. MAHAJAN, P.; ANAND, A.; HOSSAIN, S. et al. Exploring patient satisfaction and determinants in outpatient services: A cross-sectional study. Cureus, v. 17, n. 1, e77345, 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.77345
11. MARTÍNEZ, B. Impacto de las estrategias de mejora de la calidad del servicio en la satisfacción de los usuarios de odontología: Caso de estudio en los Centros de Salud Tipo B del Ecuador. Polo del Conocimiento, v. 10, n. 1, 2025.
12. MORITA, M.; HAYASHI, Y.; INOUE, H. Shared decision-making and digital visual aids in aesthetic dental treatment: A systematic review. The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, v. 126, n. 3, p. 350–358, 2021.
13. PARASURAMAN, A.; ZEITHAML, V. A.; BERRY, L. L. SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, v. 64, n. 1, p. 12–40, 1988.
14. PÉREZ, V.; MORALES, J.; HERRERA, S.; GONZÁLEZ, M. Validación de un instrumento para medir empatía y confianza en la atención odontológica universitaria. Revista Clínica Española, v. 223, n. 5, p. 271–278, 2023.
15. RAI, A.; SHRESTHA, S.; AYER, A. et al. Satisfaction with dental care among the dental OPD attendees at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Nepal. European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, v. 10, n. 2, p. 457–463, 2023.
16. SHAPIAMA, J.; REVOREDO, J. Calidad de servicio y satisfacción en los clientes del Centro Odontológico Creadent. 2021. Tesis (licenciatura) - Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, 2021. https://repositorio.upeu.edu.pe/server/api/core/bitstreams/f151cff7-d1af-4700-a8d0-1ede7f85d19d/content
17. SHARKA, S.; ALDAHASH, S.; ALQARNI, A. Determinants of revisit intention in a university dental hospital using an extended SERVQUAL model. Frontiers in Oral Health, v. 5, n. 132, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2024.1362659
18. SREEDHAR, P.; REDDY, M. C. A.; VARMA, M. V. Understanding patient satisfaction and perception in outpatient departments: Insights from a cross-sectional study in South India. International Journal of Medicine and Public Health, v. 14, p. 347–352, 2024.
19. TIBEICA, S. C.; VIRVESCU, D. I.; LUPU, I. C. et al. Patients’ satisfaction regarding oral healthcare services in the North-East region of Romania: A preliminary questionnaire survey. Healthcare (Basel), v. 12, n. 12, 1195, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12121195
20. WENCHESLAUS, L.; MTAYA-MLANGWA, M.; SOHAL, K. S. Patients’ satisfaction with oral health care provided at the University Dental Clinic in Tanzania: A cross-sectional analytical study. Health Science Reports, v. 7, 5, e2101, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.2101
21. ZEBRINNI, R. A. Marketing relacional en servicios de salud. Revista Chilena de Pediatría, v. 89, n. 2, p. 200–205, 2018.
Downloads
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2025 RECIMA21 - Revista Científica Multidisciplinar - ISSN 2675-6218

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Os direitos autorais dos artigos/resenhas/TCCs publicados pertecem à revista RECIMA21, e seguem o padrão Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0), permitindo a cópia ou reprodução, desde que cite a fonte e respeite os direitos dos autores e contenham menção aos mesmos nos créditos. Toda e qualquer obra publicada na revista, seu conteúdo é de responsabilidade dos autores, cabendo a RECIMA21 apenas ser o veículo de divulgação, seguindo os padrões nacionais e internacionais de publicação.