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A questionnaire-based survey exploring attitudes to human factors within the orthodontic team

British Dental Journal (2023)Cite this article

A Correction to this article was published on 26 May 2023

This article has been updated

Abstract

Introduction Orthodontic service provision relies on good organisational systems for high standards of patient care and safety. Human factors (HFs) are non-technical skills associated with communication, leadership and teamwork, important for safe patient care. This investigation explored attitudes and understanding of HFs within orthodontic clinical training in the United Kingdom.

Materials and methods A questionnaire-based qualitative and quantitative analysis including members of the orthodontic clinical team was undertaken at two teaching centres. A modified Operating Rooms Managements Attitudes questionnaire was used with a 5-point Likert scale. Participants indicated agreement or disagreement with statements around nine themes: leadership structure; confidence assertion; information sharing; stress; fatigue; teamwork; work values; error-procedural compliance; and organisational climate. Internal consistency among themes was assessed with Cronbach's alpha and differences in responses with chi-squared tests at 5%.

Results In total, 80 responses were received from 96 invitees. Positive attitudes towards teamwork, error-procedural compliance, and organisational climate were found. Orthodontic consultants, trainees, and nurses recognised that human error is not a sign of incompetence. Stress and fatigue were less acknowledged by consultants and trainee groups. Trainees, nurses and therapists valued information sharing over the consultant group. Orthodontic trainees and nurse responses suggested further training might be required in leadership structure, confidence assertion, and work values.

Conclusions Differences in attitudes and understanding of HFs within different professional groups in the orthodontic team exist.

Key points

  • Understanding human factors is integral to providing safe patient care.

  • Differences in the understanding of human factors exist within orthodontic clinical teams.

  • Multi-professional human factors training in dental settings will benefit teamworking and patient care.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Professor Rhona Flin, Emiritus Professor of Applied Psychology, University of Aberdeen, for giving permission to use and modify the Operating Rooms Managements Attitudes questionnaire in this research project. The authors would also like to thank the orthodontic teams at Guys and St Thomas', London, and The Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, UK, for participating in the research project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King´s College London, UK; Guy´s and St Thomas´ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK

    Sobie Akram

  2. Clinic of Orthodontics and Paediatric Dentistry, Centre of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland

    Spyridon N. Papageorgiou

  3. Cambridge University Hospital Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK

    Patricia A. K. Set

  4. Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King´s College London, UK; Guy´s and St Thomas´ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Martyn T. Cobourne

  5. Guy´s and St Thomas´ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK

    Sofia Ahmad

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  1. Sobie Akram
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  2. Spyridon N. Papageorgiou
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  5. Sofia Ahmad
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Contributions

Sobie Akram, Patricia A. K. Set, Martyn T. Cobourne and Sofia Ahmad designed the study. Sobie Akram collected the data. Sobie Akram, Patricia A. K. Set and Sofia Ahmad carried out data analysis. Review of the data was carried out and statistical analysis was carried out by Spyridon N. Papageorgiou. Sobie Akram and Sofia Ahmad drafted the manuscript, which was critically reviewed by Patricia A. K. Set, Martyn T. Cobourne and Spyridon N. Papageorgiou.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sofia Ahmad.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval was obtained by the Research and Ethics Committee at King's College London, UK, in January 2019, and the Research and Development Committee at the Queen Victoria Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, East Grinstead (MRS-18/19-9233).

All participants were given a research information leaflet and a consent form to complete.

Additional information

The original online version of this article was revised.

When this article was originally published, the corresponding author was incorrectly listed as Sofa Ahmad. The correct author name is Sofia Ahmad.

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Akram, S., Papageorgiou, S., Set, P. et al. A questionnaire-based survey exploring attitudes to human factors within the orthodontic team. Br Dent J (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-5745-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-5745-5

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