Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Family physicians’ knowledge and awareness regarding oral health: A survey

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Ramandeep Singh Gambhir
. Jaspreet Singh Batth 1
. Gagandeep Arora 2
. Samir Anand 3
. Arvind Bhardwaj 3
. Harveen Kaur 4

1 Departments of Public Health Dentistry and Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry, BRS Dental College and Hospital, Panchkula, Haryana, Departments

2 Departments of Public Health Dentistry of Oral Medicine and Radiology and

3 Periodontics, Rayat and Bahra Dental College and Hospital, Mohali, Punjab

4 Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Dr. Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Oral health is an important component of general health. The World Health
Organization has highly recommended the integration of oral health promotion into general health
care. In majority of the cases, patients visit their physicians with simultaneous oral and systemic
complaints, and primary oral complaints are more frequently encountered. Therefore, primary care
physicians can play an expanded role within oral health care to raise the overall health of the patients.
AIM: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness of family physicians regarding oral
health.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational (cross‑sectional) study was conducted among
250 family physicians who are practicing in Tricity. A self‑structured questionnaire (close‑ended)
prepared by a panel of oral health experts in English language (close‑ended) was administered to
the study participants. The questionnaire which was divided into two parts, A and B, contained 15
questions on knowledge and awareness regarding oral health. Categorization of knowledge scores
was done at three levels: low, medium, and high. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis
of variance and Student’s t‑test.
RESULTS: Males comprised 72.8% (182) of the study population and 55.2% (138) of the participants
were doing combined practice (academic and private both). Low knowledge scores were reported
in 47.2% (118) of the participants whereas only 22.4% (56) of participants had a high score.
The mean knowledge score according to educational level and working profile was statistically
significant (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed a considerable lack of knowledge among family
physicians regarding connection of oral health with general health. Therefore, there is an urgent
need to increase their knowledge by various continued medical education and training programs.

Keywords

Knowledge
oral health
physicians
primary health care
private practice
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 9, Issue 2
February 2019
Pages 1-5

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