| It was felt that a research effort should be launched which would measure the expectations of orthodontic patients before they started treatment. The intent was to compare the expectations of patients presenting for treatment at two rural private orthodontic practices with the results of a parallel study conducted at the Orthodontic Department, University at Buffalo. The private practices were those of Littlejohn (Waterloo, NY) and Anderson (Dansville, NY).;Patients were asked to answer 26 questions which in general were modeled after a questionnaire used by Sayers et al. in a similar study in London, England. Orthodontic patient cooperation in an academic environment may be more easily encouraged and there could be differences in attitudes because of fee considerations.;The results showed that prospective patients looked forward to their treatment outcomes and were realistic concerning treatment duration as well as the frequency of adjustment visits. Patients reported that they expected better esthetics and improvement in function. They showed low expectation for Invisalign, extractions, headgear, or jaw surgery. They also believed that their treatments would be viewed in a positive way by their peers and that they would enjoy enhanced self-confidence as a result of orthodontic correction.;With very few exceptions, male and female expectations were in close agreement. It seems that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. |
