The measurement and management of service quality in dental healthcare

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a research study designed to manage and measure service quality in dental healthcare. Two large dental practices located in a major UK city were chosen for the research, and 300 patients from each of the two surgeries participated in the study. The findings provide insights into the appropriateness of the SERVQUAL framework (Parasuraman et al., 1988) as a tool for measuring service quality in the context of two distinct dental healthcare practices, one public and one private. The findings suggest that 'price' and 'experience' are two variables that may have an influence on service quality perceptions, when measured by customers. From the data, it was possible to identify service quality gaps where improvements could be made, and where resources could be re-allocated to obtain more optimum results in terms of enhancing service. In summary, the findings provide support for the SERVQUAL framework as a management tool for both measuring service quality and highlighting areas where improvements could be made within a dental healthcare environment.