General Dentists’ Perceptions About Their Relationship With Specialists

INTRODUCTION: This paper assesses the nature of the general dentist–specialist relationship, as perceived by general dentists in Canada. METHODS: A cross-sectional web-based survey was administered to general dentists across Canada who are part of the Canadian Dental Association register and who have consented to receiving email surveys (N ≈ 11,300). Information including sociodemographic and practitioner- and practice-related factors was collected using a 47-item questionnaire. The general dentist–specialist relationship was conceptualised on the basis of 4 factors: communication, confidence, competition, and referrals. Descriptive analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The response rate for the survey was 11.7% (n = 1328). Most general dentists specified that specialists sent timely information/reports (93%), were partners in delivering care (64%), presented little competitive pressure (87%), and were strongly collegial (85%). CONCLUSIONS: In general, the study demonstrated that Canadian general dentists held a positive perception of their relationship with the specialists.