While dentists are generally respected people, they tend to face aggression way more often than you might think.
A new survey shows that lots of modern dentists face one or another form of aggression and violence from some patients.
Let's find out more about that.
Insight into dentist-patient Aggression
A groundbreaking study led by NYU College of Dentistry researchers has brought to light an unexpected revelation: nearly half of U.S. dentists have faced instances of verbal or reputational aggression from patients within the last year, and an alarming one in four have even experienced physical aggression.
This significant research marks the pioneering attempt to unveil aggression directed towards dentists in the United States.
The comprehensive survey involved 98 dentists actively practicing within the New York City metropolitan area, aiming to assess the range of aggressive behaviors they encountered from patients.
Unveiling the Results
The findings, unveiled after meticulous analysis, laid bare the startling reality: a substantial segment of dentists encountered aggression, spanning physical (22.2%), verbal (55%), and reputational (44.4%) incidents over the past year.
Remarkably, the prevalence of physical and reputational aggression closely mirrored results observed in a separate study conducted on dental students.
A call for action
The implications of these revelations are clear, signifying an urgent call for targeted interventions and focused training initiatives to effectively tackle the menace of patient aggression within dental practices.
