Background: From dental care providers’ perspective, it is vital to put efforts into improving the quality of services delivered. Therefore, the exploration of patients’ satisfaction with dental services and their preferences with regard to the factors involved in their dental care choices should be one of the main areas of focus in a dental care office, by focusing on the quality management. Aims: The aim of this research was to determine the factors that patients consider important when choosing a dentist, and bring evidence on the importance of implementing a quality management system for dental care. Methods and participants: The data analysis was conducted on a national representative sample of patients who had visited a dentist at least once in the last 12 months, in Romania. Using a survey which explored patients’ satisfaction with their dental care visits, data were collected between October and November 2012 with the help of computer-assisted telephone interviews. Information about socio-demographics, frequency of accessing dental care, factors associated with choosing a dentist, and the level of patients’ satisfaction were collected. Results: Out of the 1,650 people who agreed to participate in the study, 724 respondents (43.8%) represented the sample who visited a dentist at least once in the last 12 months and whose responses were analyzed in this article. The majority of the respondents were satisfied with the quality of dental services received, with 85.91% of them rating their satisfaction with 5, on a scale from 1 to 5. According to a high majority of the patients (n=680, 93.92%), the communication with their dentist was extremely easy. The most frequently mentioned factors that respondents took into account when choosing a dentist were the dentist’s competence (22.22%), the recommendation from someone known (20.56%), and the overall quality of the service provided (19.72%). Among the other factors mentioned were patience and respect. Conclusion: The factors patients consider important when choosing a dentist are the dentist’s competence, the recommendation from someone known, and the overall quality of the service provided, but interpersonal factors such as patience and respect are also valued. Our results are relevant for dental education providers, who should consider shaping their curricula as to ensure they train future dentists in a manner that will meet patients’ expectations and increase patient satisfaction levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the implementation of interventions to provide emotional and psychological support to healthcare workers in many countries. This ecological study aims to describe the strategies implemented in different countries to support healthcare professionals during the outbreak. Data were collected through an online survey about the measures to address the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers. Healthcare professionals, researchers, and academics were invited to respond to the survey. Fifty-six professionals from 35 countries contributed data to this study. Ten countries (28.6%) reported that they did not launch any national interventions. Both developed and developing countries launched similar initiatives. There was no relationship between the existence of any type of initiative in a country with the incidence, lethality, and mortality rates of the country due to COVID-19, and per capita income in 2020. The 24 h hotline for psychological support was the most frequent intervention. Tools for self-rescue by using apps or websites were extensively used, too. Other common interventions were the development of action protocols, availability of regular and updated information, implantation of distance learning systems, early detection of infection programs for professionals, economic reinforcements, hiring of staff reinforcement, and modification of leave and vacation dates.

Background and Objectives: The global demographic trend of population aging is evident across all regions, with a notable increase in the proportion of elderly individuals. Romania exemplifies this phenomenon, as 17% of its population is currently aged 65 years or older—a figure projected to rise to 25% by 2050. This demographic shift underscores the pressing need for comprehensive measures to address the health and social requirements of this growing population segment. This study aims to assess the prevalence of frailty among older adults in Romania and explore its relationship with socioeconomic factors. Materials and Methods: We employed a quantitative approach, by using cross-sectional data from patients hospitalized at the geriatrics ward of the Municipal Clinical Hospital in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Frailty scores were calculated through established frailty assessment tools, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of frailty status. In addition, we compared the socioeconomic characteristics of frail and non-frail patients to identify potential disparities. Statistical analyses were performed to assess associations between frailty and socioeconomic factors, providing insight into the relationship between these variables within the patient population. Results: The prevalence of frailty in our sample is, depending on the frailty scale used, 55% to 79%, which is in line with figures from specialized geriatric wards in other studies. There is moderate to substantial agreement between the scales we compared, and all six scales seem to concurrently agree on the frailty diagnostic in 55% of cases. Additionally, frail patients are more likely to have a low socioeconomic status. Conclusions: A significant limitation in European frailty research has been the absence of comparative frailty prevalence data across several European countries, especially those with lower economic development. Our study fills this gap by providing data on frailty prevalence in the north-western region of Romania.

Background/Objectives: The aging population poses a significant challenge to global public health, impacting the physical, mental, and social health of older adults. Social activity has been widely acknowledged as a protective factor for both mental and physical well-being. Research indicates that consistent engagement in social activities can mitigate the risk of depression, prevent cognitive decline, and support physical functionality. This study aims to explore the correlations and associations between two variables related to social activity (self-reported activity level and time spent with friends) and various other variables among geriatric patients in Northern Romania. Methods: This cross-sectional, single-center observational study utilized data from 588 geriatric patients (402 females and 186 males) admitted to the Geriatrics ward of the Municipal Clinical Hospital. The dataset included variables such as sociodemographic information, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and SARC-F questionnaire scores, time spent with friends, and activity levels. Descriptive statistics were computed alongside statistical tests to examine group differences, associations, and predictive relationships. Results: The sample was characterized by variability in age, educational attainment, and pension levels. The statistical analyses revealed significant differences based on education, pension, and civil status. Patients with higher GDS and SARC-F scores had lower odds of spending time with friends or belonging to the active or extremely active groups. Notably, women reported higher GDS scores and lower activity levels compared to men. Conclusions: Understanding the factors that influence social activity among older adults is essential for designing targeted interventions aimed at preventing social isolation and fostering healthy aging across diverse demographic and environmental contexts.