title: Access to public dental care facilities in Chandigarh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to determine the level of dental health care access and associated factors, at various public health facilities in the Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was done using a multistage random sampling technique, to interview adult respondents at their homes and to interview the dentists in the public dental clinics and hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean composite access score was 59.2 (SD 18.9) in urban areas and 60.5 (SD 20.9) in rural areas (P=0.64) on a scale of 100. The mean score for the self-perceived condition of their oral health was 6.47 (95% CI 6.17 - 6.76). Thirty-four percent of the respondents did not contact a dentist despite having a problem in the last year, primarily because dental problems were not important for them (45%), they lacked time (22%), and took self-medication (16%). Overall 58% of the respondents suggested government clinics and 44% liked private dentists for treatment of dental cavities. The government setup was preferred because the facilities were cheaper and affordable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental health care access and only limited dental facilities were available in most of the dental clinics in Chandigarh. Self-reported dental problem was low, and people ignored their dental problems.
authors: School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
authors: Himbala
authors: H
authors: Verma
authors: Arun K
authors: AK
authors: Aggarwal
authors: Vidya
authors: V
authors: Rattan
authors: Utkal
authors: U
authors: Mohanty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003740:Dental Clinics; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011331:Private Practice; D019035:Rural Health Services; D057566:Self Report; D019037:Urban Health Services