Abstract

Wellington Madanha

The broad objective of this study was to identify factors that parents consider when choosing pedodontist services for their children in Harare, Zimbabwe. This study was done against the backdrop of lack of consistency between expectations of consumers and quality of the service provided by dentists. Structured questionnaires based on a 19-item importance scale were administered to a convenience sample of 51 respondents from 5 selected dentists in Harare. The results of the study showed that quality of service rendered, accessibility of dental clinic, friendliness of the dental environment and the manner in which the dental process was conducted were the main determinants influencing choice. A major implication of the study is that dentists should consider marketing as a critical component of practice management.