Assessing perceptions of dental health behavior
McCallum, D.M.; McCallum, R.; Gurwitch, R.H.; Joyce, M.
Clinical Preventive Dentistry 8(2): 27-30
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0163-9633 PMID: 3486084 Document Number: 270957
An awareness of patients attitudes and behaviors regarding all aspects of dental care may enhance dental professionals' effectiveness in motivating their patients. The present study assessed perceptions of professionals and nonprofessionals (college students) regarding characteristics or specific behavioral recommendations for dental health. The recommendations were rank-ordered by the subjects along four attributes: degree of compliance, importance, positive effects, and negative effects. The results indicated that the professionals and college students have some similar perceptions, particularly in their assessment of positive and negative effects. There were significant differences, however, in the rankings for compliance and importance of the specific behaviors. It is suggested that performing a similar assessment with patients may enable the dentist to personalize the advice given to each patient, providing additional information and rationale for the behaviors whose importance the patient underestimates and reducing efforts of motivation in areas for each compliance is actually higher than expected.