Impacts of service quality, brand image, and perceived value on outpatient’s loyalty to China’s private dental clinics with service satisfaction as a mediator

BACKGROUND: This study explores the effects and influence paths of service quality, brand image, perceived value, and service satisfaction on outpatients’ loyalty to China’s private dental clinics. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China in January 2019. The participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. Of the 230 residents surveyed, 125 had received services in private dental clinics, being the valid sample of this study. A multiple linear regression model was used in exploring factors influencing patient loyalty. Subsequently, the path analysis was used in investigating the relationships among service quality, brand image, perceived value, patient satisfaction, and patient loyalty. RESULTS: After the effects of demographic and socioeconomic variables were controlled, perceived value and patient satisfaction showed significant influences on patient loyalty. Path analysis indicated that perceived value, perceived quality, and expected quality have direct effects on patient satisfaction and have indirect effects on patient loyalty, and patient satisfaction is a mediator. CONCLUSION: Perceived service quality influences patient loyalty through the effect of patient satisfaction, which plays a key role in promoting patient loyalty. This study implies that managers in private dental clinics can gain support from customers by building customer loyalty toward dental clinics.