Rationale of first dental visit among 12-15 year old children in a field practice area-a transverse survey

Abstract

Many children were suffering with oral health problems such as dental caries, gingival infections & malocclusions. Early identification of these problems plays a decisive role in prevention of oral diseases. First dental visit within first year of life is an important milestone in child's life. Aim & Objectives - To assess first dental visit and reasons for seeking dental care at first visit at two different locations in a city from South India. Methods - A cross sectional questionnaire survey along with oral examination were carried out among school children (n=400). Descriptive statistics and independent t test were done. Results - Mean DMFT and OHI-S scores, 0.92 ± 1.194 and 0.89 ± 1.578, were higher among children having access to dental institution. Approximately 62.5% near institution and 66% away from institution reported that, their first direct contact with a dental professional was at school. General dental checkup was the dominant reason for first dental visit followed by dental caries and tooth pain. Conclusion - Significant differences were found among the groups in relation to first dental visit and its reasons. So it is necessary to work out recommendations towards preventive care rather than curative. Key Words - First dental visit, Reasons, School Children