KNOWLEDGE AND PRIORITIES REGARDING DENTAL PRACTITIONER SELECTION AMONG EDUCATED PEOPLE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33279/jkcd.v9i03.360Keywords:
Knowledge, dental practitioner, awareness, priorities.Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to find out the level of awareness and their priorities among educated people while they are visiting a particular practitioner for their dental treatment.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study consisting of 200 patients, age ranging from 10 to 90 years of any gender, any socioeconomic status and Pakistani nationals. A questionnaire including eight closed questions and other open questions were asked. Closed questions were; name, age, gender, educational level, number of visits to a qualified dentist, quack, specialist, and hospitals. Open questions included ‘WHY?’ if said yes to above-mentioned questions (e.g. why you visited a quack/ hospital/ specialist?) in order to find out the reasons and compare it with their educational level and awareness. The obtained data from questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables like age, gender, level of education. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for number of visits to a dental practitioner vs. a specialist or a quack.
Results: Of the total, 80(40%) were illiterate patients and 53(26.5%) were highly educated patients. The majority, 4.9 (4.0SD) reported visiting a dental quack or unqualified dental practitioner, and they were illiterate, unaware and mostly older. The majority of the highly educated and aware patients preferred a qualified dental practitioner of hospital 5.6 (5.1SD) and specialist 4.5 (3.8SD).
Conclusion: Highly educated and aware patients preferred a qualified dental practitioner or a specialist. Those using the services of quack practitioners were unaware, illiterate, and mostly older. Affordability, lack of knowledge, awareness, time and availability of the government dental hospitals were mostly found as barriers to consult the qualified dentists and specialists.
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Copyright (c) 2019 Syeda Kiran Faiq, Syeda Sana Faiq, Syed Ibn-e Ali, Syed Ibn-e Ali, Fahim Ud Din, Basheer Rehman, Shaher Yar Khattak
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