Patient compliance to instructions after oral surgical procedures

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient compliance to postoperati ve instructions from the oral surgeon. A total of 180 patients who underwen t minor oral surgical procedures anonymously answered a questionnaire 1 wee k postsurgery. This questionnaire was used to evaluate how patients remembe red the mode of transmission of instructions (written, verbal), their compl iance to the postoperative instructions and to the antibiotic treatment and their comments. Of the patients, 40% did not remember receiving both writt en and verbal instructions, 36% remembered only the written instructions. T welve percent did not comply with the postoperative instructions regarding mouthwashes and 67% did not comply with the antibiotic prescriptions: 43% t ook more antibiotics and 31% less, and 4% who did not receive an antibiotic prescription took them on their own initiative. The academic level of the patients did not influence patient compliance. Verbal and written recommend ations worded simply with details are important for patient compliance and reduced postoperative stress and complaints. Better instructions on antibio tics use are necessary to ameliorate patient compliance to the antibiotic t reatment.