YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian College of Health Sciences (TCHS) is pleased to announce that alumna Marine Mkrtchyan (MPH ’19), DDS, has published her master’s thesis in the International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance. This selective international peer-reviewed scholarly journal provides a platform for research on improving health care quality and safety in diverse global settings.
The article, “An Assessment of Dental Care Quality and Patient Experience in Yerevan, Armenia,” is the first study to investigate dental patient experience in Armenia. Patient experience evaluates healthcare from the patient perspective — their perceptions, emotions, and beliefs about their interactions with healthcare services and providers — an often-overlooked dimension of quality of care. Her findings showed that dental practices performed well with regard to respect, pain management, and safety, while general satisfaction, privacy, and quality of care lagged. Older patients reported lower satisfaction, while higher income patients reported greater satisfaction.
Dr. Mkrtchyan’s co-authors include her advising team: Drs. Lisle Hites (The University of Alabama), Irina Papieva (MPH ’05) (World Health Organization), and Michael E. Thompson (TCHS and University of North Carolina at Charlotte).
Dr. Mkrtchyan noted that “this pioneering study highlights areas for improvement in patient-centered services. It established a benchmark of dental care quality in Armenia and provides a foundation for future efforts to strengthen evidence-based practice, inform policy decisions, and promote a culture of continuous quality improvement in oral health care.” She also extends her appreciation to the advising team for its invaluable support, expert guidance, and constructive collaboration throughout the research and publication process.
The AUA Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian College of Health Sciences works actively to improve population health and health services in Armenia and the region through interdisciplinary education and development of health professionals to be leaders in public health, nursing, health services research and evaluation, and health care delivery and management.