. Tanikonda Rambabu; . Suneetha Koneru
Volume 8, Issue 8 , August 2018, , Pages 1-5
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim and objective of this study was to sort out the reasons for useand nonuse of dental services among people visiting a private dental hospital in urban India.MATERIALS ...
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim and objective of this study was to sort out the reasons for useand nonuse of dental services among people visiting a private dental hospital in urban India.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross‑sectional study was carried out on 1800 people,aged 18–65 years, visiting a multispecialty dental hospital in urban India. A self‑administeredquestionnaire was used to collect data about the history of dental visits and reasons for use andnonuse of dental services.RESULTS: For a majority of the people (45%), time since the last dental visit was more than 2 years,and the main reason for visiting a dentist was dental pain (38%). Majority of the people had receivedrestoration of teeth in their previous dental visit (46%). The major reason cited for not visiting a dentistwas lack of knowledge toward dental problems and their consequences (30%). Only few peoplevisited dentists for preventive reasons. More patients with better educational levels visited dentiststhan patients with poor educational status.CONCLUSION: Majority of the people visited dentists when their problem was severe enough tohave a dental appointment. Dental practitioners across locations should also educate the patientsregarding the importance of regular dental care, discuss barriers for dental care, and promoteattitudinal changes toward a positive health‑seeking behavior.
