A survey has found that only a small number of patients in the U.S. would seek a second opinion for a dental procedure. (Photo: CandyBox Images/Shutterstock)

2013-11-11 | News Americas

SAN JOSE, Calif., USA: A new survey conducted among over 2,000 participants has suggested that the majority of U.S. adults would seek a second opinion for major home or car repair, while a significantly smaller number would ask for a second opinion for treatment recommended by their dentist.

According to the survey, 70 percent of the participants said that they would seek a second opinion for home repair and improvement, about 50 percent would do so for major car repair and 30 percent for personal electronics repair. With regard to medical treatment, only 17 percent said that they would seek a second opinion for medical procedures and 6 percent for dental work. 

In particular, the survey found that less than 25 percent would pursue a second opinion for teeth straightening and only 10 percent for oral procedures such as root-canal therapy, even though such treatments can be invasive and costly. 

In addition, the investigators discovered that participants' trust in their current dentist or doctor was a major reason that they would not seek a second opinion. 

The survey was conducted online by market research firm Harris Interactive on behalf of Align Technology, a global medical device company known for its invisible orthodontic system, Invisalign. It included 2,013 adults aged 18 and over.