247997 Effects of a Reminder Intervention for Dental Outpatients

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Chi-chia J. Cheng , Department of Public Health, Fu-jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Shay-min Huang, Dentist , Dental Department, New Taipei City Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Hsi-che Shen, physician , President Room, New Taipei City Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Yih-jin Hu , Dept of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, Taiwan
Objectives: The goals of the study were to investigate the effects of a scaling reminder intervention to dental outpatients in a hospital. Methods: 389 outpatients were systematically assigned to three intervention groups (postal reminder, mobile text reminder, telephone reminder) and one controlled group. Messages reminding patients to return for regular scaling combined with scaling health education were sent to experimental groups. Returning patients and some non-returning patients from each experimental group were selected for intervention evaluation by telephone interviews. Results: Returning rates were between 11-20%. Factors influencing returning for scaling included higher education, better medical satisfaction, and being reminded. There were no differences in returning rates among different reminding methods. 90% patients felt positive toward reminders. 96% agreed that the hospital cared about patients. 61% agreed the hospital hoped to raise medical incomes. 65% agreed that reminder influenced their returning intention. 92% hoped to continue to receive reminders, encompassing broader oral health topics. Conclusions: Regular oral-checking habits needed to be enhanced among patients. Patients felt positive toward reminding. Reminding is an effective way for patient education as well as patient management.

Learning Areas:
Clinical medicine applied in public health
Communication and informatics
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
The learners will know how to design and evaluate health education for dental outpatients

Keywords: Oral Health, Health Education Strategies

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an Assistant Professor in public health. I am the co-pi of a research project related to the content of the submitting paper
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.