# Physician and Patient Dissatisfaction with Outpatient Pre-Screening Triage in Public Dental Hospitals: Scope and Strategies for Improvement

## TL;DR

This study explores dissatisfaction with pre-screening triage in dental hospitals and suggests ways to improve the system for better patient and physician experiences.

## Contribution

The study introduces pre-screening triage in dental healthcare and identifies factors contributing to dissatisfaction among physicians and patients.

## Key findings

- Experienced physicians showed significantly higher dissatisfaction with pre-screening triage compared to less experienced ones.
- Patients were dissatisfied with nurse attitudes and inefficiencies in the triage process.
- Specialized triage systems are recommended to improve dental healthcare workflow and service effectiveness.

## Abstract

Objectives: While pre-screening triage (PST) enhances healthcare efficiency in emergency and pediatric settings, its application in dental healthcare remains undervalued. This novel study implemented PST in dental services, identifying determinants of physician–patient dissatisfaction to optimize triage systems and promote dental health outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey (July–September 2024) recruited 113 physicians and 206 patients via convenience sampling. Dissatisfaction levels were quantified using validated questionnaires and analyzed through t-tests, ANOVA, and regression models. Results: In total, 37.17% of physicians with prior PST experience demonstrated significantly higher dissatisfaction scores (37.67 ± 9.08 vs. 32.51 ± 10.08, p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis revealed that experienced physicians rated PST services 5.63 points higher than less experienced counterparts (95% CI: 0.75–10.51). Dental patients expressed dissatisfaction with nurse attitudes (β = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.07–2.01) and triage process inefficiencies. Conclusions: Key dissatisfaction drivers include a lack of physician PST exposure and nurse–patient interaction quality in dental settings. These findings advocate for the development of a specialized triage system to enhance clinical workflow efficiency and service effectiveness in dental healthcare.