ABSTRACT
One of the fundamental tenets of effective management is consumer feedback. The only way to find out what patients think about a practice and its service is to ask them. Many dentists rely on a subjective assessment of their practice, which is undoubtedly influenced by their own preconceptions of the relative worth and importance of certain aspects of the practice, but the patients' views may be markedly different. Practice surveys can help to compensate for this bias by objective analysis of the processes which ignite the management trail. A patient who attends a practice because of state-of-the-art equipment will make the association between observation and quality of care provided at the practice. It is interesting to note the reactions of dentist and other members of the dental team to the results of the research, which can be a powerful motivational aid in general practice.
