Abstract

MALHOTRA, N  and  SOMASHEKAR, ST. Effectiveness of pictorial sign boards for patient navigation in multidisciplinary Dental Facilities. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2015, vol.70, n.2, pp.65-69. ISSN 0375-1562.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the effectiveness of pictorial sign (symbol) boards in the identification of clinics/departments and in directing traffic in dental schools and hospitals. METHODS: Sign Boards (PSB's) were designed to illustrate dental clinical disciplines. 260 subjects were briefly instructed in the roles of these disciplines. A first questionnaire required participants to match PSB's with departments, and to identify the best PSB. A second questionnaire asked participants to rate how appropriate was the depiction of each department and to comment on the importance of PSB's in a multidisciplinary dental set-up. RESULTS: The PSB of of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (100%) was rated the most easily recognised, followed by the PSB's of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics (99.6%), Public Health Dentistry (99.6%) and Oral Medicine & Radiology (99.2%). Least identifiable were the PSB's of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics (86.2%) and of Periodontology (85.8%). The PSB's were generally approved, that for Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics gaining the highest rating, while those for Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics and for Periodontology scored the least. 97.3%-99.2% of the subjects agreed that PSB's would be valuable in dental clinics/hospitals to facilitate patient navigation. CONCLUSION: Pictorial Sign Boards are indicated in dental facilities.

Keywords : Sign; Symbol; Pictorial Sign Boards; Dentistry; Effectiveness; Navigation.

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