Abstract
Background and objectives: Patient education and health literacy are crucial in dentistry, prior to complex procedures like root canal treatment (RCT), that are often associated with anxiety. This mixed-methods pilot study explored the effectiveness of educational material on patients' understanding and experiences of RCT, and dentists' feedback on using a new resource.
Methods: Before RCT, patients were provided with an existing New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) education pamphlet or an enhanced educational resource (EER) in pamphlet or online format, and surveys were conducted to evaluate their helpfulness. Dentists were interviewed to gather insights on the use and value of the resources. Quantitative data and variable relationships were compared using Chi square tests and qualitative data was thematically analysed.
Results: The patients valued their dentist as an 'educator' but appreciated the clarity, simple language and visual aids in the resources, which answered questions, enhanced understanding, and reduced anxiety. Those who had received the EER (pamphlet and online) better understood the stages of RCT, reported significantly lower levels of anxiety after RCT (p=.04) and had positive overall experiences. The EER improved and supported dentists in consent processes and enhanced patient-dentist communication.
Conclusions: The findings from this study highlight the value of providing patients supplementary educational material to enhance their health literacy and experience of RCT. Dentists have an important role in educating their patients and clear and informative resources are valuable adjuncts. Further validation of these findings in broader clinical settings is warranted.