What Do Chinese Patients Value in Orthodontic Treatment? A Discrete Choice Experiment

What Do Chinese Patients Value in Orthodontic Treatment? A Discrete Choice Experiment | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article What Do Chinese Patients Value in Orthodontic Treatment? A Discrete Choice Experiment Lidan Wang, Dandan Yu, Shan Jiang, Yihui Li, Wang Yao, Jiajia Liu, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7710453/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Objective: Malocclusion is a common dental condition affecting both function and appearance, with significant implications for psychological well-being and health-related quality of life. Despite advances in orthodontic technologies, limited evidence exists on patient preferences for treatment options. This study aimed to quantify young adult patients’ preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for key orthodontic treatment attributes in China. Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted in Anhui Province, China, with 349 young adults diagnosed with malocclusion. The DCE evaluated preferences across four attributes: follow-up intervals, appliance comfort, aesthetics, and treatment cost. Data were analyzed using a mixed logit model, with subgroup analyses exploring preference heterogeneity. WTP was estimated via simulation, and scenario analysis was used to assess market uptake under different pricing strategies. Results: Participants showed strong preferences for treatments offering better comfort (coefficient for 'very good': 2.255, p<0.001) and aesthetics (coefficient for 'very good': 2.269, p<0.001). Clear aligners were the preferred option, even at higher prices. Median WTP was substantial for improved comfort (18,110 CNY) and aesthetics (18,633 CNY). Notable preference heterogeneity was observed: females prioritized aesthetics, males emphasized comfort, and lower-income patients were more cost-sensitive. Scenario analysis indicated that pricing clear aligners at the same level as ceramic brackets could raise their market share by 82%. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of incorporating patient preferences into orthodontic care. Tailoring treatment options to individual needs and reducing financial barriers, such as through insurance coverage for preferred treatments, could enhance patient satisfaction, adherence, and health outcomes. These findings support more patient-centered and equitable approaches in orthodontic service delivery and policy design. Patient or Public Contribution: The development of the DCE included a qualitative research component to ensure that the content accurately reflected patients’ experiences when seeking orthodontic care. Prior to data collection, 30 pilot interviews were conducted with members of the target population to gather feedback on the survey’s relevance and clarity. Health sciences/Health care Health sciences/Medical research Biological sciences/Psychology Social science/Psychology orthodontics malocclusion patient preference discrete choice experiment willingness-to-pay patient centered care Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Summplementarydocument.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7710453","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":525950037,"identity":"53e9e40d-3a8c-40c8-805a-1d5f147de8be","order_by":0,"name":"Lidan 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A Discrete Choice Experiment","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"orthodontics, malocclusion, patient preference, discrete choice experiment, willingness-to-pay, patient centered care","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7710453/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7710453/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObjective:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMalocclusion is a common dental condition affecting both function and appearance, with significant implications for psychological well-being and health-related quality of life. Despite advances in orthodontic technologies, limited evidence exists on patient preferences for treatment options. This study aimed to quantify young adult patients’ preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for key orthodontic treatment attributes in China.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted in Anhui Province, China, with 349 young adults diagnosed with malocclusion. The DCE evaluated preferences across four attributes: follow-up intervals, appliance comfort, aesthetics, and treatment cost. Data were analyzed using a mixed logit model, with subgroup analyses exploring preference heterogeneity. WTP was estimated via simulation, and scenario analysis was used to assess market uptake under different pricing strategies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants showed strong preferences for treatments offering better comfort (coefficient for 'very good': 2.255, p\u0026lt;0.001) and aesthetics (coefficient for 'very good': 2.269, p\u0026lt;0.001). Clear aligners were the preferred option, even at higher prices. Median WTP was substantial for improved comfort (18,110 CNY) and aesthetics (18,633 CNY). Notable preference heterogeneity was observed: females prioritized aesthetics, males emphasized comfort, and lower-income patients were more cost-sensitive. Scenario analysis indicated that pricing clear aligners at the same level as ceramic brackets could raise their market share by 82%.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study underscores the importance of incorporating patient preferences into orthodontic care. Tailoring treatment options to individual needs and reducing financial barriers, such as through insurance coverage for preferred treatments, could enhance patient satisfaction, adherence, and health outcomes. These findings support more patient-centered and equitable approaches in orthodontic service delivery and policy design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePatient or Public Contribution:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe development of the DCE included a qualitative research component to ensure that the content accurately reflected patients’ experiences when seeking orthodontic care. Prior to data collection, 30 pilot interviews were conducted with members of the target population to gather feedback on the survey’s relevance and clarity.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"What Do Chinese Patients Value in Orthodontic Treatment? 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