Table 2 Themes and codes identified
Theme | Open codes | Quotation examples |
|---|---|---|
Waiting time before treatment | Long waiting time Staff on sick leave Need for more staff Option of private dentist Dentist’s relatives seen first School children should not be made to wait No Compassion | “I came at 7am before they even opened the clinic…” “I was informed that most of the dental staff are on sick leave…” “I think this clinic needs more dental staff…” “I would prefer to see a private dentist even if it….” “The dentist’s relatives are seen first…” “School children should be given priority…” “No value for human pain here…” |
Cost of treatment | Tax payers Covid-19 Inferior treatment Government blamed Reasonable cost | “We are tax payers so in a way we have already…” “Because of covid I feel it’s going to get tougher…” “They charge us fees but the filling they do comes out…” “May be the government could consider poor people like us…” “I don’t think the charges are that expensive…” |
Accessibility of services | Disabled and elderly access No parking space for disabled patients Grumpy staff Dental chair not working | “For me coming up to CWM dental clinic is a challenge…” “It was an issue finding parking space…” “Look at the dentists we have they are so grumpy…” “I asked the dentist to lower the dental chair so that I could sit properly…” |
Privacy and confidentiality | Treatment room exposed Patient’s folders | “The treatment room is not a room it is sort of open…” “The reception staff they carrying the patient folders as if…” |
Range of treatment options | Limited options Covid-19 Availability of dental materials Tooth loss Having qualified dentists and less treatment options | “Some of the services are not available here…” “They said because of covid they only…” “Treatment will depend on the availability of materials…” “Today I came to get my tooth pulled out because 5 months ago…” “What’s the use of having so many qualified dentists when the clinic…” |