Assessment of patients' satisfaction with dental care at Umm Al-Qura University dental teaching hospital

Abstract Background Patient satisfaction serves as an important indicator that shows the quality of care provided and is important in dental teaching hospitals that combine service delivery with student training. Methods To assess dental care satisfaction, a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study at Umm Al-Qura University Dental Teaching Hospital from April to September 2025 was conducted. Participants were adult patients at UQU Dental Teaching Hospital who were willing and able to complete the self-administered questionnaire. Patients with language or cognitive barriers, emergency cases, or questionnaires with excessive missing data were excluded. 210 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics summarized scores by domain, and differences between groups were assessed with Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. A p-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Overall satisfaction across all domains was 3.53 out of 5. Domain mean scores (out of 5) were: Continuity 4.32, Service Quality 4.12, Pain Management 3.70, Access 3.58, and General 1.94. Positive findings included very high ratings for respectful treatment (mean 4.80), thorough examinations (mean 4.64), clear pre-treatment explanations (mean 4.53), confidence in clinicians’ ability to manage dental problems (continuity mean 4.32), and technical aspects such as accuracy (mean 3.92) and modern facilities (mean 3.95). Areas of relative weakness included aspects of pain management, with patients reporting mixed perceptions regarding pain avoidance (mean 3.83) and the need for more pain relief (mean 2.99), as well as access-related issues such as waiting times (mean 3.40) and difficulty obtaining immediate appointments (mean 3.08). Satisfaction did not differ significantly by gender, age group, nationality, or type of service provider, however, the number of visits (p = 0.004) and better self-rated oral health (p = 0.006) were significantly linked to increased overall. Conclusion Patients reported high satisfaction with clinician behavior, continuity, and technical aspects of care. Access and aspects of pain management show opportunities for improvement at this teaching hospital.