Patients' trust in the orthodontist during the Covid-19 pandemic

Purpose: The aim of the investigation is to determine patients' trust in their orthodontist during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methodological approach: The research represents a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of 192 orthodontic patients from public and private dental clinics.
Results: Regarding the degree of compliance with the protocols for COVID-19 in orthodontic offices, 100% of the surveyed patients stated that their dentists fully comply with them.
Regarding general satisfaction with the service during the pandemic, 70.4% stated that they were completely satisfied with the service received, while 29.6% stated that they were not satisfied and cited difficulties in "scheduling an appointment" or "long waiting time" as the reason.
57.8% stated that they were satisfied with the communication during their orthodontic treatment. Within the 42.2% of respondents who are not satisfied, 87% of them cited as the main reason the COVID-19 protocols limited their ability to communicate", while the rest stated that they "felt that it was not appropriate to ask additional questions".
Conclusions: The results generate useful information about the significant role of compliance with the COVID-19 measures by health facilities as an important prerequisite for trust in the quality of the service. With experts warning that this won't be the last pandemic in near future, the findings of this research should be taken into account to ensure timely care that protects both orthodontists and patients.
Keywords: orthodontist, covid-19, treatment, pandemic