Needs and demands for dental care in patients attending the University Dental Hospital in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Normative needs of patients demanding treatment were high and many had demanded treatment before acute symptoms had developed. However, delays in seeking care were evident. Further studies are needed to identify factors for delay in obtaining care.

Dental Anxiety in Adults in Bulgaria

“…A study of Nicolas E et al 7 point out 13.5% in France, Moore R et al 16 -10.2% in Denmark, Locker D et al 18 , 16.4% in Canada, Shon W and Ismail AJ 19 of Michigan (USA) -12%. Only the results of 44% reported by of Ekanayake L and Dhamawardena D 13 in Sri Lanka exceed our results. This difference is confi rmed also for the subgroups with high (13-14 points) and very high (15 -20 points) anxiety.…”

Evaluating the Periodontal Status and Oral Hygiene Habits Among Dental Patients

“…This result was consistent with the study conducted by Newman and Gift (24), which showed that low income limits consultation of dental services. It is reported that as the education level of individuals increases, oral health care improves, and periodic dental health care consultation becomes more common (25). Richard et al (26) also indicated in their study that educational level is a determinant for periodontal disease.…”

Felt and Normative Needs for Oral Health and Utilization of Services

“…Assessment of normative needs in patients who seek dental care at an institution is therefore, important as such data could be used to estimate the resources and manpower required to meet the patients. 2,4 Our study shows a statistically significant difference between the felt and normative needs for dental care by the population; this is due to the lack of awareness and attitude of Indian population for oral health care. The normative need was 31.54% more than that of the felt needs of the population.…”

“…Normative treatment needs for orthodontic patients depend on the clinical parameters while that of patients' depend solely on the esthetic point; this makes attendance for orthodontic treatment further less. 2 There is also a difference between the felt need (3,681) and utilization of care (3,167), which gives an impression that though people are aware that they have oral health-related problems, still they did not make a point of seeking care. This is due to the fact that nobody considers oral health problems to be fatal; still further prospective studies are needed to identify factors responsible for this neglect for oral health care.…”

“…For effective planning and evaluation of any health service, both estimates of levels of need and demand for treatment should be taken into account. 2 In spite of prevalent distribution of dental diseases, dental care is being utilized by very few. Thus, an extensive breach is formed between the actual dental needs of the population and the demand for dental care.…”