Digitalization is reshaping how private dental clinics organize the patient journey, yet the psychological mechanism that converts omnichannel experience into trust and recommendation behavior remains underexplained in emerging markets. This study developed and tested an integrated model grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework, in which seven omnichannel journey design attributes act as stimuli, three basic psychological need satisfactions specified by self-determination theory (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) together with trust in the clinic act as organism states, and recommendation intention is the behavioral response. Survey data from 573 patients of omnichannel dental clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, collected between March and April 2026, were analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling in SmartPLS 4. All eleven hypotheses were supported. Relatedness satisfaction was the strongest antecedent of trust (β = 0.346), exceeding competence (β = 0.154) and autonomy (β = 0.158); trust was the strongest predictor of recommendation intention (β = 0.459). Interactivity was the most influential stimulus (β = 0.492) and had the largest indirect effect on recommendation. This hierarchy indicates that human connection, rather than technological convenience, is the most durable foundation of trust in dental care, where perceived risk is high. The study extends the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework and self-determination theory to omnichannel dental services and offers concrete priorities for clinic managers seeking to strengthen patient trust and advocacy.
