Efficacy of Different Reminders to Reduce Missed Orthodontic Appointments
Journal Title: Journal of Dental School Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences - Year 2017, Vol 35, Issue 3
Abstract
Objectives: Since forgetfulness is the major cause of missed appointments, reminder systems can be used prior to appointments. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different reminders [e-mails, social networks, telephone, and short message service (SMS)] in order to reduce missed appointments by orthodontic patients. Methods: Of a total of 751 active orthodontic patients, 379 were assigned to the reminder group and 372 to the control group. The former group was randomly divided into four subgroups who received a reminder 2 days before their appointments either by telephone, e-mail, SMS, or a message on Facebook. Patients allocated to the control group received no reminder. The percentage of missed appointments and the demographic characteristics of patients in each group were analyzed with the chi-squared test. Results: The percentage of missed appointments was significantly higher in the control group (41.39%) than the reminder group (11.08%) (P<0.001). There was no difference in the attendance rate of patients among telephone, SMS, and e-mail groups. Missed appointments were insignificantly higher in patients whose parents had the highest educational level (P=0.8). In patients with low family income, the percentage of missed appointments was the lowest, but this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.5). Conclusion: The study results indicated that sending reminders is an effective strategy to reduce missed appointments. E-mails and social networks can be employed to send reminders easily and cost-effectively and prevent missed appointments.
Authors and Affiliations
Morteza Oshagh, Lida Pishbin, Faezeh Saadati, Faranak Razmjouei, Kazem Dalaie
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP368341
- DOI -
- Views 90
- Downloads 0
Prosthetic Rehabilitation of Nasal Defect: A Case Report
Facial defects not only impact on the function and quality of life but also affect the psychological well-being and social behavior of patients. A nasal prosthesis can re-establish the esthetics and anatomical contour in...
Periodontal Involvement in Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency: Review of the Literature and a Case Report
Objective: Leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) is a rare, autosomal recessive inherited disorder; LAD-I which is the most common type, occurs due to mutations in the CD18 gene. This mutation down-regulates the expression...
Effect of Opaque Porcelain Thickness Bond Strength of Porcelain to Ni-Cr Alloys
Objectives: Metal-ceramic restorations are the standard by which all esthetic restorations are measured. Fracture of dental restorations is a multifactorial problem, which is serious and costly. Debonding of porcelain fr...
Histological Comparison of Effectiveness of Low Doses of Doxycyclineand Atorvastatin on gingival Inflammation and Alveolar Bone Loss in Experimental Model of Periodontitis in Rats
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of low dose doxycycline and atorvastatin on gingival inflammation and alveolar bone loss in an experimental model of periodontitis in rats. Methods: Forty...
Dentoskeletal Effects of Multi P® Prefabricated Functional Appliance on Class II Div I Children in Late Mixed Dentition
Objectives: Prefabricated functional appliances have therapeutic effects similar to those of custom-made functional appliances. This study aimed to assess the dentoskeletal effects of Multi P® prefabricated functional ap...