Attitude and Understanding of Orthodontic Treatment Using Digitized Comic Strip versus Text Format Among Patients Visiting a Tertiary Care Hospital In Dakshina Kannada District in Karnataka, India

Mafaz Bin Ahsan,*
Subramanya Shetty,
Sandeep Shetty

Abstract

Background Following Orthodontic instructions is pivotal for the progress of treatment. Patients either forget the instructions or do not understand them in the first place, leading to treatment delays and further patient frustration. Therefore, a need arises to find methods to provide these orthodontic instructions to the patients in unexplored ways. The study aimed to analyse and compare the influence and attitude of Orthodontic patients towards 2 tools of online orthodontic instructions: a Digitized comic strip and Text format instructions. Methods This study involved participants from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dakshina Kannada District in Karnataka, India undergoing Orthodontic treatment who were randomly allotted to 2 groups of 16 participants each. One group was provided a soft copy of digitized comic strip Orthodontic instructions while the other group was provided a soft copy of text format Orthodontic instructions. A Google Questionnaire form was provided to all the participants thereafter. Results Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS 27 version software and MS Excel. All 32 participants said they would want to read additional reading material about Orthodontics indicating increased interest. 24 participants said the information they read in this study helped them understand orthodontic treatment much more, even if they already knew some of it beforehand. Conclusions The participants felt more confident while responding to the text format instructions, particularly for the objective questions; yet the orthodontic comic strip increased the subjects' self-reported interest in maintaining their smile and teeth. Additionally, those who read the comic strip expressed interest in reading other orthodontic-related content.