Retail Versus Private Dental Practices: Do the Patients Differ?

A telephone survey was conducted in 12 different cities in the southeastern US. Of 1,997 calls, 947 yielded usable responses from persons who had received or taken someone else for dental care within the past 6 months. Respondents were asked to recall specific details about the dental facility they visited. Retail dentistry practices were defined as facilities located in department stores, malls, or similar outlets and offering extended hours of operation. Private dental practitioners were defined as isolated private dental practices either in freestanding locations or housed in a building-office complex with other health care and dental services. Both private and retail dental service patrons rank quality service, reputation, and competence as important criteria in choosing a dentist. However, the retail dental facility ranks lower in reputation than its private practice counterpart. The retail dental facility appears to attract a distinct segment of the dental market whose perceived needs and wants are closely matched by a convenience-oriented facility.