Dissatisfaction with dental care among mothers of Medicaid-enrolled children

Objectives: This paper is part of a larger study examining the impact of mothers’ having a regular source of dental care (RSDC) on utilization of dental care and oral health of their preschool children. We describe levels of satisfaction with care among mothers whose preschool children were enrolled in Medicaid in Washington State. We report mothers’ satisfaction related to having a RSDC by type of dental setting/office. Methods: Disproportionate stratified sampling by racial/ethnic group selected 11 305 children aged 3–6 in Medicaid in Washington State. Mothers (n = 4373) completed a mixed‐mode survey. Satisfaction with dental care was measured using the Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire (DSQ). Results: Overall mean DSQ was 57.1 ± 9.9 (range 18–89). A higher score indicates greater satisfaction. There was not evidence of a difference in dissatisfaction by race/ethnicity but Blacks and Hispanics were less satisfied with pain management than Whites. The majority of respondents agreed with the statement that ‘Dentists sometimes act rude to their patients.’ Satisfaction is higher for mothers who have a regular private dentist they see consistently versus having a regular dentist through a public or non‐profit clinic. Conclusions: The satisfaction with dental care for this population is low, and considerably lower than found in other studies for primary medical care. Steps need to be taken to increase dental satisfaction and access to private dental clinics, and to increase perceived quality and pain management of dental care in both private clinics and public/non‐profits serving low‐income populations.