BARRIERS TO THE ACCESS OF ORAL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN PESHAWAR

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the barriers faced by undergraduate students in accessing dental care services. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed, utilizing non-probability convenience sampling techniques. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to compute descriptive statistics. A total of 385 participants were included in the study, comprising both male and female undergraduate students—203 (52.7%) males and 182 (47.3%) females. Among the identified barriers to accessing dental care services, the most frequently reported was the fear of high treatment costs, as indicated by 114 participants (29.6%). This was followed by fear of pain associated with dental procedures, reported by 99 participants (25.7%). Issues related to scheduling appointments were cited by 37 participants (9.6%). The least reported barrier was family influence or advice to avoid dental clinics and instead rely on home remedies, which was mentioned by only one participant (0.3%).It was concluded that fear of expensive treatment was the most frequent barrier of all, followed by fear of pain of dental procedure, appointment related issues and time shortages, respectively.