title: Perception of health care providers toward geriatric oral health in Belgaum district: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To access knowledge and practices related to the oral health of geriatrics among the health care providers practicing in urban and rural areas.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Older adults have identified a number of barriers that contribute to lack of dental service use. However, barriers that clinicians encounter in providing dental treatment to older adults are not as clear-cut.
  
  
  METHODS
  236 health professionals (of allopathy, ayurveda, and homeopathy) from urban and rural areas were assessed by means of structured questionnaire related to oral health practices and beliefs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Doctors practicing in urban areas assessed dental care needs more frequently (P = 0.038) and performed greater practices related to oral health of geriatrics (P = 0.043) than the doctors practicing in primary health care (PHC) centers (rural) (P = 0.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Owing to the relative lack of knowledge among rural practitioners, there is a need to integrate primary health care with oral care in rural areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Karnataka Lingayat Educational Society Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Nishant
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Karnataka Lingayat Educational Society Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Ladusingh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rajpurohit
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Karnataka Lingayat Educational Society Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ankola
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Karnataka Lingayat Educational Society Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Mamata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hebbal
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Punjab Government Dental College and Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Setia
keywords: Allopathy; PHC centers; ayurveda; geriatrics; health care providers; homeopathy; oral health