Perceived doctor-patient relation quality and reputation building in dental sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the most relevant quality factors and communication activities that are suitable as competitive levers in dentistry. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on a model that highlights the reciprocal influence between patient satisfaction and dentist reputation. The model points out that experience/behaviours, explicit communication and word-of-mouth are antecedents of both patient satisfaction and dentist reputation. This research is based on interviews with senior dentists, focus groups with patients and a survey of dentistry patients. Findings – The most important quality factors for patient satisfaction are the doctor-patient relationship and the clarity of information about treatment and cost. Key communication levers are first, the implicit communication that arises from successful treatment and overall service quality; second, the explicit communication that arises from interpersonal relations with the dentist and the staff, and the referrals of previous patients. Practical implications – In order to gain competitive advantages, dentists should achieve an average level of patient satisfaction for “given” and “secondary” factors; to pay careful attention to “strategic factors”; and to explicitly communicate “opportunity factors” since patients are usually unaware of their value. Furthermore, dentists should emphasize interpersonal, experiential and third-party communication with patients. Originality/value – The paper puts forward a model that integrates previous service quality and reputation management models, and makes suggestions