Characteristics of medical disputes arising from dental practice in Guangzhou, China: an observational study

OBJECTIVES: Doctor–patient conflict is a phenomenon that has become one of the major social problems affecting China’s medical system today. This study aimed to analyse the nature of medical dispute incidents arising from dental practice, discover the related factors that may have incited such disputes and explore measures whereby the incidents of patients’ conflicts towards dentists can be reduced. METHODS: A survey conducted in six public hospitals in Guangzhou, one of the largest cities in China, showed that more than two million patients received dental treatment between 2008 and 2012. χ(2) test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to identify statistically significant differences in incident rates. RESULTS: In a total of more than two million outpatients, 541 reported dental disputes and lodged complaints with the medical service centre. Male patients reported higher dispute rates than did females (χ(2)=9.74, P<0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis further showed that disputes developed into conflicts depending on five factors: patient gender, dental specialty, cause of dispute, mode of payment and resolution duration. CONCLUSIONS: Gender, specialties, cause of dispute, mode of payment and resolution duration are associated with the incidence of dental conflicts, suggesting that medical quality is positively correlated to dental disputes, the coverage of stomatology in medical insurance should be expanded and detailed negotiation system should be developed for resolving dental disputes.