earticle

영어

Purpose: This study examined the factors influencing the choice of dental clinics by individuals who received orthodontic treatment for malocclusion. Methods: Participants were 320 male and female college students in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk- do who had received orthodontic treatment in dental clinics for malocclusion. They were surveyed about their choices of dental clinics. Of the 320 questionnaires, 294 (91.9%) were used for analysis, and surveys with insufficient responses or errors were excluded. Results: The factors influencing the choice of dental clinics varied among the participants. Furthermore, factors that most commonly affected their choices were, in order, trust in dentists’ skills and medicine used, information from community sources, friendliness of the dentist, friendliness of clinic staff, cleanliness of the hospital, availability of up-to-date medical facilities and equipment, convenience of location, and recommendations by acquaintances. Conclusion: Factors underlying the choice of dental clinics varied among the participants. Typically, these choices were strongly influenced by factors such as reputation, professionalism, and friendliness.