The public perception of orthodontic treatment performed by general dentists and specialist orthodontists
Published Online: Jul 20, 2021
Page range: 232 - 238
Received: Jul 01, 2018
Accepted: Oct 01, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/aoj-2020-075
© 2018 Morgan Wishney et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Background
In Australia, orthodontic treatment may be performed by either a general dental practitioner (GDP) or a specialist orthodontist. However, the titles ‘specialist’ and ‘orthodontist’ are restricted to dentists who have undertaken an additional three years of full-time training in an accredited institution. Considering the increase in popularity of GDP orthodontic courses, an assessment was worthwhile of the public’s understanding of the difference between a specialist orthodontist and a GDP who provides orthodontic treatment.
Methods
Two thousand and six Australian adults registered with a survey organisation and completed an online questionnaire. Participants were chosen to reflect age and state demographic data provided by the 2016 Australian Census. The survey questions examined the respondents’ understanding regarding the difference between a GDP and a specialist orthodontist related to training and qualifications. Furthermore, factors influencing respondents’ preferences for choosing an orthodontic practitioner as well as demographic data were collected.
Results
Sixty-six percent of respondents felt that a dentist who provided orthodontic treatment must also be a specialist orthodontist whilst 27% were unsure. Seventy-four percent of respondents felt that a specialist orthodontist was the most qualified person to provide orthodontic treatment. The most popular factor in deciding which type of practitioner to see for orthodontic treatment was whether they were a specialist, followed closely by cost. A GDP was more likely to be chosen as an orthodontic practitioner by respondents who were male, less educated, had a lower income or had seen a GDP for orthodontic treatment in the past.
Conclusion
Although the respondents generally appeared to appreciate the value of seeing a specialist for orthodontic treatment, a significant proportion did not appear to understand the difference between a specialist orthodontist and a GDP. The present findings support further education of the public.